Needham Schools To Require Vaccines When Authorized By FDA

NEEDHAM, MA — Needham Public Schools are following in the steps of colleges and universities across the country requiring vaccinations to attend school in the fall, WBZ reported.

“We will absolutely require the vaccine (with only a few and specific exceptions) in order to keep our schools fully open and our students and staff safe,” Superintendent of Schools Dan Gutekanst said in an email to WBZ-TV on Wednesday. “In this way we will be consistent with other compulsory vaccine protocols (e.g., measles) we implement.”

Gutekanst told WBZ that he's waiting for FDA and state guidance on requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff.

The FDA authorized the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use for kids 12 to 15 this week.