California pushes 1st US vaccine mandate for schoolchildren

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ and ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California is poised to impose the nation’s first coronavirus vaccine mandate for schoolchildren. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that the requirement won’t take effect for all children until the U.S. government has finished fully vetting the vaccine for two age groups — 12 to 15 and 5 to 11. That means those in seventh to 12th grades probably will have until July to get their shots. It will be even longer for children in kindergarten through sixth grades because the government has yet to approve any COVID-19 vaccine for that age group. The move could push other states to follow as many did after Newsom ordered the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order last year.