Source: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR21-307.aspx
Date: October 20, 2021
Number: NR21-307
Contact: CDPHpress@cdph.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO - Today, a joint statement issued by California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, and California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón, reaffirmed the state's approach to preventing COVID-19 in schools and protecting our students' health – continuing the state's successful masking requirements in K-12 settings:

 

"From day one, California has stepped up with policies that keep our children and school staff safe. Universal masking, combined with vaccination measures and access to regular testing, have been key to the state's nation-leading success in keeping schools open – resulting in California accounting for less than 1% of all school closures nationwide, despite educating 12% of the nation's public school students.

 

"Thanks to these policies, and the collective efforts of Californians getting vaccinated and masking up, California has consistently had some of the lowest COVID-19 case rates in the entire country.

 

"Now is not the time to let our guard down – especially as the winter months approach. Ongoing vigilance is critical to protect against COVID-19. This is particularly important for schools, where many children are not vaccinated. Although infection rates are decreasing, more than 25 counties continue to experience high transmission, as classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospital capacity remains impacted in some regions, and approximately 80 Californians continue to die daily, on average.

 

"Due to these considerations, California is reaffirming its current approach to COVID-19 prevention and containment in schools and will continue to maintain the universal indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools and will continue to monitor conditions through the winter.

 

"Recent studies from the 2021-2022 school year confirm that schools with universal masking requirements are less likely to experience outbreaks, and that areas of the United States without school mask mandates experienced larger increases in pediatric COVID-19 case rates after the school year began, compared to areas with school mask requirements. Consistent with the guidance, California continues to assess conditions on an ongoing basis to determine whether to update mask requirements or recommendations.

 

"This strategy represents the best path for schools to protect children and school staff, ensuring that classrooms remain safe spaces for learning, and children are provided every opportunity to be successful."

 

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has also released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 and updates on the state's pandemic response.

 

Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today

• California has 4,595,382 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

• There were 3,070 newly reported confirmed cases Tuesday.

• Cases are occurring largely among unvaccinated populations. See the data for vaccinated and unvaccinated cases.

• For the week of October 3 – October 9, the average case rate among unvaccinated Californians age 16 or older is 35.6 per 100,000 per day and the average case rate among vaccinated Californians age 16 or older is significantly lower at 5.4 per 100,000 per day.

• The great majority of new cases are among unvaccinated individuals. The rate among the unvaccinated is 6.6 times the rate among the vaccinated.

• The 7-day positivity rate is 2.0%.

• There have been 99,152,394 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 221,983 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

• There have been 70,593 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

• As of October 20, according to the CDC, 86% of eligible Californians have received at least one dose. Providers have reported to CDPH that a total of 51,473,669 vaccine doses have been administered statewide. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed. For more vaccination data, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard.

ADDITIONAL DATA & UPDATES

• SOURCE: https://www.gov.ca.gov/

  Published: Oct 01, 2021

  After implementing first-in-the-nation school masking and staff vaccination measures, California becomes the first state to announce plans to require student vaccinations – adding the COVID-19 vaccine to list of vaccinations required for school, such as the vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella

  Students will be required to be vaccinated for in person learning starting the term following FDA full approval of the vaccine for their grade span (7-12 and K-6).

   

  SAN FRANCISCO – At a school in San Francisco, Governor Newsom announced plans to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required to attend school in-person when the vaccine receives full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for middle and high school grades, making California the first state in the nation to announce such a measure. Following the other first-in-the-nation school masking and staff vaccination measures, Governor Newsom announced the COVID-19 vaccine will be required for in-person school attendance—just like vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella and more.

   

  “The state already requires that students are vaccinated against viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella – there’s no reason why we wouldn’t do the same for COVID-19. Today’s measure, just like our first-in-the-nation school masking and staff vaccination requirements, is about protecting our children and school staff, and keeping them in the classroom,” said Governor Newsom. “Vaccines work. It’s why California leads the country in preventing school closures and has the lowest case rates. We encourage other states to follow our lead to keep our kids safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

   

  California announces plans to add COVID-19 vaccine to list of required school vaccinations

  Thanks to the state’s bold public health measures, California continues to maintain the lowest case rate in the entire country and is one of only two states to have advanced out of the CDC’s ‘high’ COVID transmission category. More information about the announcement can be found here.

  The vast majority of school districts have reported that over 95% of students have returned to in-person instruction this school year, as can be seen on the state’s Student Supports & In-Person Dashboard. Thanks to unprecedented resources and public health measures (measures shown to be highly effective), California is leading national trends in preventing school closures and keeping kids in classrooms, accounting for only 14 out of over 2,000 school closures nationwide, or roughly 0.7% – despite the fact that California educates an estimated 12% of the nation’s public school students. If California’s rates had aligned with national trends, the state would have seen upwards of 240 school closures.

   

  In order to further protect students and staff and continue supporting a safe return to in-person instruction for all students, the Governor directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to follow the procedures established by the Legislature to add the COVID-19 vaccine to other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance—such as measles, mumps, and rubella—pursuant to the Health and Safety Code. COVID-19 vaccine requirements will be phased-in by grade span, which will also promote smoother implementation.

   

  Upon full FDA approval of age groups within a grade span, CDPH will consider the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians prior to implementing a requirement. Following existing statute, full approval of ages 12+ corresponds to grades 7-12, and full approval of ages 5-11 corresponds to grades K-6. Students who are under the age of full approval, but within the grade span, will be required to be vaccinated once they reach the age of full approval (with a reasonable period of time to receive both doses), consistent with existing procedures for other vaccines. The requirement will take effect at the start of the term following full approval of that grade span, to be defined as January 1st or July 1st, whichever comes first. Based on current information, the requirement is expected to apply to grades 7-12 starting on July 1, 2022. However, local health jurisdictions and local education agencies are encouraged to implement requirements ahead of a statewide requirement based on their local circumstances.

   

  Governor Newsom’s historic $123.9 billion Pre-K and K-12 education package is providing an unprecedented level of school and student funding to transform the state’s public schools into gateways of equity and opportunity, supporting the potential of every California student by: achieving universal transitional kindergarten for four-year-olds by 2025, expanding afterschool and summer programs, providing universal free school nutrition, increasing the number of well-prepared staff per pupil, creating full-service community schools to support the mental and social-emotional well-being of students, and more.

All K-12 Districts in Alameda County will reopen for in-person instruction in the 2021-22 school year. On July 30, the Bay Area County Superintendents issued a press release supporting the full opening of schools to in-person instructions and strongly advocated for vaccines for all students and families 12 years and older to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Please see your district website for information about your school's reopening plans.

The State of California has provided its guidance to schools for the 2021-22 school year.

Health Officer Order 21-01a aligns the County with the restrictions, terms, and conditions imposed on individuals, businesses, and activities by the State’s Public Health Officer Order issued on June 11, which means no more physical distancing, no more capacity limits on businesses, no more county tiers. Effective July 16, Alameda County has reinstituted a recommendation for masks in all indoor public settings.

The State’s new more limited Beyond-the-Blueprint restrictions are only applicable to masking and Mega Events, as well as settings serving children and youth pending an expected update to the K-12 schools guidance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Individuals and employers are directed to the State’s COVID-19 website to determine the permissions and restrictions applicable to specific activities and businesses.