(New Orleans – December 16, 2021) — Today, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and city health officials issued an expansion to its proof of vaccination requirement to include children 5 to 11 years old to help keep the Omicron variant at bay. NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) fully supports the mayor's directive and our schools' efforts to encourage students and families to get vaccinated.


In tandem with this effort, NOLA Public Schools has coordinated with our school leaders to request that the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required immunizations for all students 5 years of age or older by February 1. The LDH approved this request earlier today.


This requirement is designed to further protect our students, teachers, and staff and preserve in-person learning. Families can provide proof of vaccination or sign an exemption waiver for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons. We encourage parents to reach out to their school for more information. Please visit nolapublicschools.com/vaccinations to learn about upcoming vaccination opportunities.


"We'd like to thank all of our school leaders for leading the way in helping ensure our 45,000 students stay healthy and safe," said Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. "We all know vaccines are the best tool we have at our disposal to keep our children in the classroom, learning and growing with their teachers and friends."


Being vaccinated not only keeps COVID-19 out of our school buildings, but it also eliminates the need to quarantine. If a child is fully vaccinated and comes in contact with an individual who tests positive, they will not need to quarantine, and this will help end the disruptions to families' lives when a child is sent home due to an active case.


"We trust the recommendations of our health officials, and this requirement will help us all do our part this holiday season to come even closer to returning to the normal rhythms of life and so that we can truly enjoy the upcoming Mardi Gras season, safe and healthy," Dr. Lewis said.


NOLA-PS continues to encourage all eligible students 5 years and older, and their families, to continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Health officials have consistently expressed that vaccination is the best protection against this virus and the best strategy to end this pandemic. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccines are effective and can reduce the risk of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccines also help children and adults from getting seriously ill if they do contract the virus.


As the pandemic continues to evolve, NOLA Public Schools will continue to coordinate with our local health care and government leaders to monitor and track our city's COVID-19 data to ensure we make the most informed decisions for the wellbeing of our students and school staff. 

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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 76 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.


For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.