Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards dropping COVID vaccine requirement for school children

Greg Hilburn, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
·1 min read
1

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Bel Edwards said Wednesday the state health department is dropping its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for school children and high school students as part of the immunization schedule.

Edwards' announcement pre-empts an ongoing legislative effort to block the COVID vaccine from being among the shots required like those for measles and mumps.

But the governor and his health agency continue to recommend eligible children take the COVID jab.

"(Louisiana Department of Health) today reaffirms its official recommendation that all eligible children receive the COVID-19 vaccine, especially as COVID cases, percent positivity and emergency department visits for COVID-like illness increase throughout the state," the agency tweeted.

More: Will Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves run for governor? He's unimpressed with field

Read this: Louisiana House passes transgender sports ban; will Governor John Bel Edwards veto?

Republican Senate Health Committee Chair Fred Mills of Acadiana informed his fellow senators about the decision as they met Wednesday.

Nurse Margaret Doucet assisting with COVID-19 Vaccinations. Louisiana's Department of Health held a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Broussard Saturday morning at the Wat Thammarattanaram Lao Buddhist Temple to help expand vaccine access and overcome hesitancy as the state looks to increase the share of residents who are vaccinated for COVID-19 after ranking among the lowest per capita in vaccination rates among states across the country. Saturday, April 10, 2021.

He also told parents: "You can rest that no one is telling you to do anything" concerning the COVID vaccine.

Parents would have been able to opt-out of the vaccine anyway, as they can with any of the other vaccines on the schedule.

But Republican lawmakers sought to keep it off the schedule entirely.

Republican House Health and Welfare Committee Chair Larry Bagley advanced House Concurrent Resolution 3 to bypass the governor's original decision to add the vaccine to school shot requirements.

Bagley's resolution stalled in Mills' Senate committee, but there was an effort to revive the legislation, which had already cleared the House.

Greg Hilburn covers Louisiana politics for the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana drops COVID vaccine requirement on school immunization list