CA City May Require Proof Of COVID Vaccine For 5 To 11-Year-Olds

San Francisco CA

06 November, 2021

7:35 PM

Description

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — San Francisco could become the first major U.S. city where 5 to 11-year-old children will have to prove they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter indoor restaurants, gyms, sporting events, and more. Those requirements are currently in place everyone 12 and older. The revelation came during a town hall meeting on Tuesday, "We definitely want to wait and make sure that children have an opportunity to get vaccinated," said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip. "That will happen no sooner than about eight weeks after the vaccine is available to kids. So there will be a limited time in which there will not be those requirements, but then at some point, 5 to 11-year-olds will also have to show proof of vaccination to access some of those same settings." The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved on an emergency basis for the age group on Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a Western States review gave the go-ahead on Wednesday. Vaccinations got underway immediately on young children, meaning the clock is ticking on the eight-week window. Some parents are upset about the requirement, pointing out that children that young do not have photo IDs. The health department told Politico in an email, "As with children 12-17 who may not have personal identification, we will follow the same approach with the younger kids such that they would not be penalized for not having an ID." One incredulous mother asked if she would have to carry around her 4-year-old's birth certificate to prove the child is not eligible for a vaccine. The health department softened its stance in an email to SFGate, noting that it will take months to vaccinate all 44,000 San Francisco kids in the 5 to 11 age range. "Only after that opportunity has been afforded will we consider whether it is appropriate, based on health conditions at the time, to extend to this age group the proof of vaccination requirements that currently apply in some indoor settings to everyone else who is currently eligible for vaccinations." How do you feel about children as young a 5 being required to carry vaccine passports to get into businesses around San Francisco? Take our survey below. Read more: Should Vaccines Be Required For CA Kids 5 To 11? Readers Weigh In