In October, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a press release announcing he has directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to require all K-12 students be vaccinated against COVID-19 once available vaccines receive full approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
While I have personally been vaccinated and have encouraged others to do so, I am also a firm believer in local control and ensuring parents can make fully informed medical decisions.
As such, I have sent my concerns to the Governor in a letter. Here is a summary of my request:
- Issue another press release in which he makes clear that the state is the controlling authority for mandates such as the ones described above, and provides a forum in which concerned parents and community members can provide feedback and obtain meaningful contact with decision-makers regarding their concerns;
- Asking the governor to ensure that County Public Health Directors have the authority to adjust CDPH guidelines to suit local conditions;
- Keep the availability of medical, religious, and personal belief exemptions with regard to any prospective COVID-19 vaccine requirement; and
- Clearly delineating what benchmarks must be met to end universal masking in classrooms.
You can read the full letter here.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact me at micah@micahgrant.com