California delays coronavirus vaccine mandate for schools

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is delaying a coronavirus vaccine mandate for schoolchildren until at least the summer of 2023.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration announced the change on Thursday.

California was the first state to announce it would require all schoolchildren to receive the coronavirus vaccine. But the mandate will not take effect until federal regulators give final approval to the vaccine for children. That hasn’t happened yet.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said school districts would need more time to implement the mandate once federal approval happens. State officials say the mandate will not happen before July 1, 2023.

California is one of two states, plus the District of Columbia, that has announced a coronavirus vaccine mandate for K-12 public schools, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

California parents should have an easier time getting their school-aged children excused from the state's upcoming coronavirus vaccine mandate after a state lawmaker announced Thursday he would stop trying to block personal belief exemptions from the new rules.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the state will eventually require all California schoolchildren to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. He hasn't done it yet because while federal regulators have authorized the vaccine for use on children in an emergency, they have not yet given it final approval. Once that happens, Newsom says the state's vaccine mandate will likely take effect the following semester.

State law would allow two exceptions to the coronavirus vaccine: Medical reasons and personal beliefs. A medical reason often requires proof from a doctor. But a personal belief...