Aurora Public Schools employees will be required to get COVID-19 vaccine – The Denver Post

All Aurora Public School employees will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccination now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer one this week, district officials said Monday.

Superintendent Rico Munn wrote in May and again this monththat the approval would be the tipping point for requiring vaccinations for the entire districts staff. Moderna and Johnson & Johnsons shots have not received the same approval as Pfizer.

The most significant layer to prevent transmission of COVID-19 is for as many people in the APS community to receive the COVID-19 vaccines as possible, Munn wrote Friday.

Then Damon Smith, the districts chief personnel officer, emailed employees Monday noting the FDAs approval and telling staff they must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 7. Those who fail to get the vaccine will face discipline including suspension, leave without pay and possibly termination.

Employees who legitimately cannot be vaccinated will be required to wear masks, socially distance from others and take periodic tests for the virus, Smith wrote.

The district has about 38,000 students and about 6,000 employees, some 2,100 of which are teachers.

The district will join Denver Public Schools in requiring faculty and staff to be vaccinated.

Adams Countys Board of Commissioners headed a different direction Tuesday, following in Douglas County commissioners footsteps by voting 3-2 to opt out of Tri-County Health Departments order requiring masks for children between the ages of 2 and 11, county representative Christa Bruning said in a release.

Adams County said the vote was meant to allow each school district to follow current requirements or create their own.

County Commissioner Eva Henry called Tri-Countys mandate flawed in the release and said local school boards and the Colorado State Board of Education is in the best position to decide what to require for students and their communities.

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Aurora Public Schools employees will be required to get COVID-19 vaccine - The Denver Post