By John Woolfolk
California will be the first state in the country to require public school teachers and staff to either be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday as many of the state’s 6.1 million students return to classrooms for the fall term amid a sharp rise in infections.
“We think this right thing to do and a sustainable way to keep schools open,” Newsom said at a news conference at Carl B. Munck Elementary School in Oakland.
The new policy for school staff will take effect Aug. 12, and schools must be in full compliance by Oct. 15. Free testing is available to schools through the state’s K-12 school testing program.