The COVID vaccine is being distributed.

So far, doses for the general public are still months away – perhaps in April.

When they do become generally available, there might be an expectation that people have to get them. It’s possible that students, in particular, could be required to receive the vaccine before going to school.

That’s not on the radar right now, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Communications Office. “The commonwealth has no plans to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine,” a spokesperson said.

There are several immunizations that are recommended by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for school-age children – with exceptions.

If the state reconsiders and adds COVID to the mandatory vaccine list, that decision will impact Warren County School District.

“The Pennsylvania Department of Health and School Code establish immunization requirements,” Director of Pupil Services Dr. Patricia Hawley said. “The PaCode provides provisional exclusions to the requirement (e.g., religious exemption), and further defines a district shall comply with federal laws pertaining to students suffering from homelessness and those living in foster care.”

The state requires vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and chickenpox (vaccine or evidence of immunity), and later, meningococcal conjugate vaccine.

According to Pennsylvania Department of Health materials provided by Hawley, “on the first day of school, unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusion.”

“Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine preventable disease,” according to the department.

The district has not expressed a position and is waiting for definitive word from the department regarding COVID.

“There is speculation the state will require a COVID vaccination for school enrollment, however, the district has not received any details to verify this information,” Hawley said. “The district doesn’t have a position on the matter, however we anticipate, as with other viruses, the PA Department of Health will eventually recommend an immunization for school-age children to prevent the spread of COVID in the school setting.”

If that decision is made, it will likely mirror other vaccination requirements.

“Districts are required to monitor immunizations records during the registration process,” Hawley said. “A child may not be enrolled unless he/she has met the commonwealth’s minimum immunization requirements for school registration/attendance.”

The district takes its lead from the state.

“The district adheres to state immunization requirements,” Hawley said. “School nurses are required, by the PaCode, to review immunization records during the initial registration process and affirm the immunization status of a child is current before attendance; monitor immunization records; and inform parents of immunization requirements as matters arise.”

“As with any change to an existing public-school regulation, implementation will depend on the timeline districts, parents, and healthcare providers are afforded to make the change,” she said. “If changes to existing immunizations requirements occur over the summer, I assume parents and healthcare providers will have the summer to ensure a child receives necessary immunizations prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year.”

“However, if the COVID vaccination is unavailable to all members of the public prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year, I anticipate changes will be phased in.”

Even if the state calls for students to have the vaccine before attending school, local conditions would be considered.

“The change in the school immunization law is contingent on influences of external variables – local barriers could include the availability of the COVID vaccination and/or an appointment with a doctor’s office.”

Before there was a COVID-19 vaccine, the pandemic had already had an impact on immunization requirements.

“In response to the COVID pandemic, the state of Pennsylvania did temporarily suspend the immunization requirements for school enrollment – students were permitted to attend and/or register for school without proper immunizations for the first two months of the 2020-2021 school year,” Hawley said.

The vaccine will be available for school personnel before it is available for students.

“District employees are a part of Phase 1B, along with other groups of people,” Superintendent Amy Stewart said. ” We are in the process of surveying our employees so we will know who wants to receive the vaccine once our number is called.”

“Employees do not have to get the vaccine, but many are indicating they would like to sign up to get it,” Stewart said.