Virginia Department of Health provides insight on COVID vaccine guidelines for schools

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added COVID-19 vaccines to their list of recommended vaccines for anyone six months or older last week.

Along with that decision, the COVID-19 vaccine can be covered by insurance when the federal government stops funding it. Additionally, at this recommendation, some states may add COVID-19 vaccines to their list of vaccination requirements for school attendance, but that’s not the case for every state.

In a statement from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 15-0 to add the vaccine to the Vaccines for Children Program.

“There is no direct, immediate impact on COVID-19 vaccine being added to the Immunization Schedule on school-required vaccines in Virginia,” VDH said in a statement. “In order for a change to occur to those requirements either 1) the General Assembly would need to pass legislation or 2) the Board of Health would need to pursue regulatory updates the Regulations for the Immunization of School Children, which would require a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action and a 60-day public comment period.”

Waynesboro City Schools also provided an update for their current requirements.

“We are in regular communication with the Central Shenandoah Health Department and will follow any vaccine guidelines we get from the state. Our locality only requires the vaccines mandated by the state,” Assistant Superintendent Ryan Barber said in an email.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Tweet that Virginia won’t adopt the recommendation.

Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved.