Heather Curtis
High schoolers in Fairfax County Public Schools who participate in Virginia High School League winter and spring sports will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 8 to stop the spread of the virus. Students who do other physical activities like dance and step teams will also have to get the jab by that date. This is after the football season ends on Nov. 5.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Brabrand said in a letter to the community put out on Monday the mandate is a critical step to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring kids can continue to do their activities and in-person learning.
“The majority of pauses to instruction for our high school students come as a result of exposure during athletic activities, which the Virginia Department of Education classifies as a high-risk activity,” Brabrand wrote.
Brabrand said the school system will make sure kids have opportunities to get the vaccine before the deadline. He wrote that a total of 75.4% of all Fairfax County 16-18 year-olds are fully vaccinated at this time, and 85.7% have had one dose.
“While we know this is a difficult decision for some families, it is an essential step that we must take to limit the duration of a pause, getting students back to the classroom and their activities sooner, but still safely,” Brabrand said.
The school system will give out information in the next few weeks about what students will need to do to prove they’re vaccinated.
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