The Washington State Board of Health on Wednesday voted not to include COVID-19 in the state’s immunization requirements for K-12 students to attend school.
According to The Seattle Times, the vote comes after the board’s technical advisory group voted at the end of February to recommend against adding a COVID vaccine to the list of school immunizations required by a state administrative code.
In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, the State Department of Health said that during Wednesday’s health board discussion, it was made clear that both the Department of Health and the State Board of Health “continue to support COVID-19 vaccines as being safe and effective, and particularly protective against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccine recommendations is the best way to protect community members against COVID-19.”
“COVID-19 is increasing in some communities, and we must still actively work to prevent its spread,” the statement continued.
You can read more about the Board of Health’s decision in The Times story here.
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