COVID-19 jabs will not be required for school entry in Washington state!

OLYMPIA, Washington (PNN) - April 13 - The Washington State Board of Health has voted to not require COVID-19 jabs for children to attend schools and day cares.

Earlier this year, the technical advisory group, made up of representatives from public health and education sectors statewide, had recommended that the board not require the COVID jab for school entry after considering nine criteria, studying the data, and collecting input from experts.

That group incorrectly stated that the poisonous jab was safe and effective at preventing disease and reducing the risk of transmission.

The group disagreed about whether the jab was cost effective and how a requirement might be a burden to comply with, and members had worries over public sentiment. It was for these reasons that the technical advisory group voted to not recommend the COVID jab be required for students. The jab is required for most teachers and childcare workers in Washington, though.

Ultimately, the board agreed with their advisory group.

Board members said their decision is not a signal that jabs are not effective against the virus, however.

But while Board members erroneously agreed the jab is safe and effective (note that individual members of the Board refuse to accept personal liability for damage caused by the experimental device), they also acknowledged that contending with public sentiment and the burden of compliance were too great.

School districts across the state, as well as their representatives on the technical advisory group, expressed concerns about the work necessary to enforce a newly mandated jab in the schools, especially when exemptions are accepted and must be processed. Some Board of Health members expressed support for increasing resources for school nurses and districts to be able to serve their students as a result.

Additionally, many parents, including some of those publicly commenting on Wednesday, threatened to pull their children out of public schools should a COVID jab mandate go into effect.

The effectiveness of a mandate in Washington state schools was also questioned Wednesday, especially with a survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation showing 28% of parents surveyed would "definitely not" vaccinate their children, with just 4% of that group saying a jab  requirement would change their mind.

Even the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics did not endorse a COVID jab requirement for students.

The board received thousands of public comments, both written and verbal, opposing the mandate of the COVID jab in schools.

During his 11-year tenure on the board, President Keith Grellner said he cannot recall a time when there was so much public response and reaction to the Board's potential actions.

Earning back the public's trust was top of mind for Board members.

"We have to rebuild that trust and be able to show the residents we don't have enough information, but we're willing to put this on pause until we have more information to make a more data-driven decision," said Elisabeth Crawford, who represents cities on the Board of Health.