West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice will not support a covid-19 vaccine mandate for students attending public schools. “Within all my power that I have, West Virginia will not … mandate covid-19 vaccines for kids,” Justice said during a news conference. “I can’t promise [that I won’t be] overridden or whatever it may be, but in all my power I do not think that that’s the right thing to do.”
The governor encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated against the virus, but said that parents should have a choice in the matter. He said he will do everything in his power to prevent the federal government or the Legislature from mandated covid-19 vaccines in the state’s school system. Vaccination mandates for public schools are generally decided on the state level. West Virginia lawmakers did not pass any covid-19 vaccination requirements during the pandemic.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that covid-19 vaccines be required for public school attendance. ACIP suggested the vaccine be added to the routinely recommended vaccine schedule. “It’s important to note that there are no changes in covid-19 vaccine policy, and today’s action simply helps streamline clinical guidance for health care providers by including all currently licensed, authorized and routinely recommended vaccines in one document,” read a CDC release.