Board of Health opts against new school vaccine requirement

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state Board of Health has decided that COVID-19 vaccines will not be required for students to attend K-12 schools this fall. The Seattle Times reports the Board of Health made the decision in a unanimous vote Wednesday. Last fall, the board created a separate advisory group tasked with researching whether a COVID vaccine would meet all the scientific criteria needed to be added to the list. The advisory group previously voted to recommend against adding a COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s science officer and co-chair of the advisory group, Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett, noted that it may become necessary in the future to assess whether the recommendation must change.