Teachers, staff members, vendors and all other employees of Chicago Public Schools will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the upcoming school year, the district announced Friday.
Workers need to submit proof of full vaccination by Oct. 15, a month and a half after full-time in-person classes resume Aug. 30. They’ll be required to be tested once a week until the fall deadline.
The vaccine mandate won’t apply to employees who have a medical or religious reason for not receiving their shots. Those employees still have to submit to regular COVID-19 testing.
About 78% of CPS employees have already gotten a shot or scheduled one and 67% are fully vaccinated, officials said. That self-reported data “may not tell a complete picture,” though, according to the district.
“This new policy enhances the district’s comprehensive reopening plan and ensures that students and staff can confidently learn in-person,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “Taking this step will further our citywide vaccination efforts and build on our progress in slowing and stopping the spread of COVID-19.”
The city put its mandate in place after a similar order was issued for teachers across California. So far, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has left that decision up to local school districts, though a mask mandate is in effect at schools statewide.
“The science is clear: higher populations of vaccinated people means better health outcomes in communities, safer places of work and public spaces,” interim CPS CEO José Torres said in a statement.
Kids as young as 12 are eligible to be vaccinated. Students are not required to be vaccinated for the upcoming schools year.
About 69% of eligible Chicagoans have gotten at least one shot so far.
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