Vaccinations

Vaccinating the population against COVID-19 will help stop the spread of the virus. Adults and children (when authorized) should receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves, their families, and their community.

Key Points

In order to bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end, it will be important for children to receive the vaccine when it is authorized. Though younger children are less likely to become infected, transmit the virus to others, and experience severe illness if they do become sick, they are not completely immune.
Schools do not need to wait until all teachers receive a vaccine to reopen. Vaccination is just one of a set of strategies that we can use to reduce risk, including wearing masks, improving ventilation, hand-washing, etc.
While more people are getting vaccinated, masks remain a critical component to stopping the spread of COVID-19. We know masks are highly effective at limiting the spread of the virus, and all school-aged children and adults in the school environment should continue to wear them until public health officials recommend otherwise.
Logistically, it is possible to vaccinate all children 12 years old and above prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year. It is unlikely that elementary-aged children will be eligible to receive the vaccine prior to next school year, as current projections put authorization for the vaccine in early 2022.

Current Vaccination Status in the U.S.

Teacher Vaccinations:

As of April 6, 2021, nearly 80% of teachers, school staff, and childcare workers had received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Source: CDC)

Children Vaccinations:

As of May 12, 2021, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children 12-15 years old. The adolescent trials have shown efficacy of 100% and no significant safety concerns. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
- This means that high school students and most middle school students are eligible to receive the vaccine. Given that older adolescents tend to transmit the virus similarly as adults, receiving the vaccination is highly recommended.
Pfizer-BioNTech is in the process of testing its COVID-19 vaccine in children younger than 12 years old and anticipates filing an emergency use authorization for ages 2-11 years in September 2021. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
Moderna has started a clinical trial to test its COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12, including babies as young as six months. The company is also in the process of filing an emergency use authorization with the FDA for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in 12 to 17 years old. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)

Action Steps for School Leaders
School leaders can support vaccination efforts by taking action in their community:

Host a **vaccine clinic** at a local school and encourage all eligible students and families to attend (Ex: Uxbridge High School Vaccine Clinic)
Build **confidence** around the COVID-19 vaccine through positive messaging and fact-based evidence (Ex: COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative)
Consider **offering incentives** for staff who receive their vaccine, such as monetary awards (from federal relief money), paid time off to receive the vaccine, sick leave for people who experience side effects, and free transportation to a clinic or pharmacy. (Read more about incentivizing teachers from EdWeek)
Partner with your **local department of health** and pediatric providers for reliable information, to identify vaccination sites, and to provide support for families and community members. (Read more about partnering with your local board of health)

Considerations Around Requirements

**District leaders** **cannot** **require teachers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.**
Because the COVID-19 vaccines are currently under emergency use authorization, the legal consensus is that mandates are not permissible. (Source: EdWeek)
There is currently no law or regulation that directly addresses whether employers may mandate employee COVID-19 vaccinations. (Source: Mayer Brown COVID-19: Employer Guidance on Vaccines)
**District leaders** **can** **require teachers to disclose whether they’ve been vaccinated.**
However, asking them why they have not been vaccinated could be considered a disability-related inquiry, which is not allowed under the Americans With Disabilities Act. (Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
**No state has yet required K-12 students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.**
The vaccines only have emergency use authorization at this point — it is not possible to require vaccines without full authorization from the FDA.
Colleges and universities can typically set their own vaccine mandates, as opposed to K-12, whose mandates are set by state legislatures. (Source: EdWeek)

Helpful Resources

The following resources offer guidance and suggestions for school leaders, teachers, and students to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and how they can support vaccination efforts in their community. These comprise of lesson plans, guides, videos, and more to provide actionable next steps.

(We will continue to update these as we continue to learn about additional tools)