EDUCATION + SCHOOLS

Will COVID-19 vaccinations be required for Utah students?

May 13, 2021, 8:51 PM

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS UTAH STUDENTS...

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Should COVID-19 vaccinations be added to the list of vaccines required for Utah students to attend school? With kids as young as 12 eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and testing being done on even younger kids, this public health question is hard to ignore. 

Vaccinations that are already required 

Right now in order to register a child for kindergarten in Utah, parents must show that the child has received the following vaccinations: five DTP (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), four polio, two MMR, three hepatitis B, two hepatitis A and two varicella (also known as chickenpox).

Then in seventh grade, each child must receive one more DTP and one meningocele. Is there any chance that the list could be lengthened to include the COVID-19 vaccine?

Rich Lakin is the Immunization Program Manager at the Utah Department of Health and he reported they haven’t given COVID-19 vaccinations much thought yet.

“We’ve had some discussions with partners, but we really haven’t thought much about including that right now. It just got approved for twelve and above. Maybe down the road, it may be approved for six months up to eleven. We haven’t really gone anywhere about making it a requirement for school entry yet,” Lakin said. 

Yet.

Making COVID-19 vaccinations required for Utah students process 

It’s quite a process to add a new vaccine to the list of those required for entry to school. Lakin explained that “it begins with conversations, either within the immunization program or the executive director of the Utah Health Department’s office.”

“Sometimes the conversation begins with private physicians contacting the Health Department and asking them to consider adding the vaccine to the list.”

If these conversations are fruitful, they are brought before the Utah Vaccine Advisory Committee, which meets three times a year. If that committee decides the vaccine should be considered as one required for students, the executive director takes it to the Health and Human Services Committee of the Utah State Legislature, and there is public input.

It comes down to a risk vs. reward analysis according to Lakin. “Polio was an easy one to put on the list. It was a childhood disease. The risk of the disease outweighed the risk of the vaccine by far,” Lakin said.

“With COVID-19 we are seeing children being hospitalized, we are seeing children become very sick. We are seeing long-term effects starting to happen with children. If at some point the disease outweighs the risks of the vaccine, that’s one of the things that we consider.”

So, will the COVID-19 vaccine ever be added to the list of required vaccinations for Utah students? 

“In other states, it might occur quicker,” Lakin said. “Utah is pretty conservative. I would expect some states would move ahead of us. We don’t want to put another requirement on parents for school entry.” If Utah ever does require the vaccine, it’s possible “we may require it for 7th-grade entry only and not for the younger age group,” Lakin said. 

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

Education + Schools

alpine school district signage shown...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.com

Amid ‘tension’ in Alpine School District, board votes to study potential district reconfiguration

Alpine School District's board of education has voted unanimously to begin a study into reconfiguring the biggest district in the Beehive State.

11 months ago

A student at Toeele Junior High School brought an unloaded firearm onto campus Thursday morning, ac...

Simone Seikaly

Student found with unloaded gun at Tooele Junior High

Tooele Police said a resource officer learned about the gun from an administrator, who heard from a teacher, who heard from a student.

11 months ago

Burned trees piled on the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration land pictured...

Adam Small and Samantha Herrera

$300,000 cleanup getting property back to raising money for public schools

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration has to clear decades worth of bullets and rifle pellets from a former Boy Scouts camp.

11 months ago

A lawsuit filed against the Alpine School District, the district's board of education and Superinte...

Logan Stefanich

Parents file lawsuit against Alpine School District over potential closure of 5 elementary schools

The suit comes less than a month after the same group of parents threatened to bring legal action against the Alpine School district.

11 months ago

Fourth grade teacher Emily Weigel shows her students that it might be hard to fit under their desks...

Amanda Dickson

What teachers want during Teacher Appreciation week — R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Teachers and parents alike work tirelessly to educate and raise kids. Here's what one organization says about appreciating your teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.

11 months ago

climate change education...

Marjorie Cortez, Deseret News

State School Board restores climate change science standard by 1 vote

The majority of the Utah State Board of Education members ended up rejecting a recommendation that would remove climate change language from the state's science standards.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Will COVID-19 vaccinations be required for Utah students?