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Lamont Opens Door To School District COVID Vaccine Mandates

School
Alan Levine
/
Flickr

Governor Ned Lamont said if COVID-19 vaccination rates for Connecticut students don’t improve, he would be open to school districts mandating the vaccine.

Connecticut has a 65% vaccination rate for those between 12 and 18 years old. But hundreds of COVID-19 cases in schools have already been reported this year.

However, school districts lack the power to actually remove students if they are unvaccinated without an executive order or legislation.

A survey of nearly 1,000 members of the Connecticut Education Association said teachers are also concerned schools don’t have the resources to provide regular COVID-19 testing of unvaccinated students.

Lamont has already required all teachers and childcare workers to get the shot. Almost 90% of teachers’ union members are vaccinated.

A native Long Islander, J.D. is WSHU's managing editor. He also hosts the climate podcast Higher Ground. J.D. reports for public radio stations across the Northeast, is a journalism educator and proud SPJ member.