California to delay COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students

California to delay school vaccine mandate pending full FDA approval.

California will not require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for at least another school year, health officials announced Thursday.

The earliest the requirement would go into effect is now July 1, 2023, pending full approval by the Food and Drug Administration of a COVID-19 vaccine for children under 16 years old.

State officials had initially said the mandate could be implemented as late as July 2022, depending on FDA full approval.

The state is delaying implementation of the mandate for the 2022-2023 school year "to ensure sufficient time for successful implementation of new vaccine requirements," the state health department said.