All DC school teachers, personnel required to be COVID-19 vaccinated by Nov 1

DC to discuss status of schools amid nationwide in COVID-19 case spike

A D.C. Council committee is expected to meet this afternoon to discuss the reopening of D.C. Public Schools. They hope to get an idea of how the school year is going so far.

WASHINGTON - All D.C. school teachers, aides and other personnel who are regularly in city schools and child care facilities must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 1.

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Mayor Muriel Bowser made the announcement at a press conference on Monday.

The vaccine mandate applies to all D.C. public schools, public charter schools, private school, parochial school and child care facilities regulated by OSSE.

Bowser said there is no test out option.

All DC school teachers, personnel required to be COVID-19 vaccinated by Nov 1

All D.C. school teachers, aides and other personnel who are regularly in city schools and child care facilities must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 1.

Adults covered by the requirement include:

-Teachers, student teachers, teaching aides, substitute teachers and teaching fellows

-Before-and-after-school teachers, program leaders and assistants

-Guidance counselors

-Principals and other school leaders, program coordinators and administrators

-Coaches, trainer, athletic directors, referees, meet or game officials and school-based media specialists filming games and training sessions

-Librarians and school library-based personnel

-Technology support personnel who work in schools

-Social workers

-School bus drivers

-School security personnel

-Aides for children with special needs in schools

-Cafeteria, janitorial and building maintenance staff

-Volunteers who are regularly at schools

Bowser added that after November 1, all student athletes 12-years-old and older must be vaccinated in order to participate in school-based sports.

Bowser said student athletes who will turn 12 between September 20, 2021 and November 1, 2021 must be fully vaccinated before December 13, 2021 to be eligible to practice or compete in school-based extracurricular athletics.

D.C. Public Schools and Howard University are working together to meet with students between 12 and 17 – and their parents – to discuss the importance of being vaccinated, Bowser said. There will be a virtual town hall meeting on September 22 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

September 19, 2021 was the deadline for D.C. government employees to report their vaccination status. Employees who are not yet fully vaccinated must get tested once per week and submit a negative COVID-19 test within seven days of getting tested.

Bowser said that as of Monday, September 20, 87% of employees have submitted their vaccination status and of that -- 72% of all DC government workers are fully vaccinated.