ODH: COVID-19 vaccine not on list of required vaccinations to attend school
Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff has released a statement on Friday stating that the State of Ohio does not have the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations to attend school.
Despite a vote from the CDC's Advisory Committee to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of recommended vaccines for children, Dr. Vanderhoff is reminding Ohioans that the CDC alone does not have the power to require children to get the vaccine to attend school.
Vanderhoff cites Ohio Revised Code section 3313.671 which lists the vaccines children are required to receive to attend school, with the COVID-19 vaccine absent from this list.
In order for the vaccine to be required to attend school, the State of Ohio must update the Ohio Revised Code to reflect this requirement.
The statement from Dr. Vanderhoff reads as follows:
"The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccine to be added to the formulary or scheduled vaccines for children does not mandate this vaccine for school children."
"Ohio law determines required vaccines for school attendance."
"The State of Ohio does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for school attendance. The ACIP vote does not change Ohio law. The state's list of required vaccines can only be changed through legislation."
