During its April 13th public meeting, viewable online on TVW, the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) voted to adopt a technical advisory group’s recommendation not to add COVID-19 vaccine to Washington’s list of requirements for childcare and school entry.
This means, unless there are other changes or reconsiderations between now and then, COVID-19 vaccinations will not be a requirement for enrolling in classes for the 2022-2023 school year this fall.
SBOH formed the technical advisory group (TAG) in coordination with the Washington State Department of Health to provide a recommendation for SBOH to consider.
According to the SBOH website, the group of 17 TAG members voted 6 yes, 7 no, and 4 unsure regarding making COVID-19 vaccination a requirement.
Members against the making the vaccination a requirement “expressed doubt about making a recommendation to the Board and stated concerns about unintended consequences of doing so.” They “stated concerns about a lack of good data and not being comfortable with children possibly losing time away from school.” Members who voted to recommend adding the vaccination requirement said this was “an opportunity to help eradicate the virus.” Other members thought “the vaccine ought to be added once it is fully licensed by the FDA and other members expressed the vaccine should be added to the school entry list in the future.”
Finally 7 people with common sense, especially not really knowing what the long term effects are with an experimental new type of vaccine.