State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón rescinded a public health order requiring that all school employees show proof of vaccination or be tested at least weekly. The new policy is effective Sept. 17.
The California Teachers Association has told Governor Gavin Newsom that the union wants schools in counties with high Covid-19 infection rates to remain in distance learning for 100 days so that the state can develop a more aggressive plan to slow the spread of the virus and have all school staff vaccinated.
“We need a clear and coordinated state, county and local plan that puts the health and safety of our communities first and does not take shortcuts toward the path of opening schools in person,” stated union leaders in a letter to Newsom Wednesday. “To do otherwise will continue the ‘yo-yo’ effect we warned of last summer and this fall opening schools, only to then close them because we failed to have the necessary layered protections and asymptomatic testing in place.”