LDH will not require COVID-19 vaccines next school year

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - A COVID-19 vaccine will not be required to attend Louisiana public schools in 2022-2023 because they have not received full approval, the Louisiana Department of Health said Wednesday.

But that doesn’t mean LDH is changing its stance on whether eligible children should be vaccinated.

LDH said in a news release that it is reaffirming its official recommendation that all eligible children receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Comirnaty, the Pfizer vaccine, currently has FDA authorization for emergency use for children 5 and above.

“This public health recommendation has not changed,” the news release reads. “In fact, it is more urgent now given the recent increases in COVID cases, percent positivity, and emergency department visits for COVID-like illness throughout the state.”

LDH said it is making the decision now to give schools and families time to prepare.

“When LDH began the standard process of adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the school immunization schedule, we expected more age groups would have full FDA approval in advance of the 2022-2023 school year,” the news release reads. “The FDA has not yet fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those under the age of 16; therefore, at the start of the 2022 school year, students in Louisiana will not be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We have the utmost confidence in the rigorous FDA processes; however, they do take time.”

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