Return to School Testing and Vaccination Guidelines.
Dear LREI Families,
I hope that you all have had a restful summer and are looking forward to a great school year.
A reminder that all students will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to return for the 2022-2023 school year.
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Students under five will have to have completed the full series of vaccinations or have started the series and have appointments that allow for the series to be complete by the Monday after Thanksgiving, November 28.
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Students five and older will have to have at least two doses.
- In regards to all students five or older receiving a booster/third dose, a number of you have asked about waiting for the “new” booster that is likely to be available in the fall.
- There is some indication that the new booster might be available to children early in the fall. If you would like to have your child wait for the newer booster, you may.
- There is conflicting information as to whether having the current booster now means you have to wait longer to receive the newer booster.
- We will be in touch about deadlines but are hoping with a new booster available in October, that all will either have a booster now or one in the mid-fall.
- If the timetable for the availability of the booster is extended, I will be in touch once school begins to outline the requirements for your child to receive the booster.
- It is important to remember that, if you choose, your child may return to school with only two doses of Covid-19 vaccine though there will be a requirement by mid- / late- fall that all eligible students receive a third dose of vaccine.
Are you unsure what to do? Please consult your healthcare provider.
Receiving the third dose as currently formulated does not necessarily preclude one from getting the newly formulated booster once it is released. We do not know who will be eligible and what the timing will be for eligibility.
Finally, if there is a spike in infections in the fall, we do not know at this point what variant will be the cause nor which booster will best protect us from the possibility of contracting a new variant. If you have specific questions regarding whether or not your child should get the booster now or should wait, please contact your healthcare professional.
Questions? Please be in touch. Again, I am sorry for the additional email and apologize in advance if there are further changes due the ever-changing Covid-19 landscape.
Be well,
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Other Reminders
A reminder that ALL students have to be up to date on required childhood immunizations. New York State requirements allow for a 14-day grace period after the first day of school. After that students who are undervaccinated will not be able to attend school. Though all students were up-to-date last fall, please check on Magnus or with your healthcare provider to make sure that your child/children are not due for additional vaccinations.