How K-12 schools can protect against the next pandemic
Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 8:39PM 
By Marshal Sterio
Lingering questions about COVID-19 and the rapid rise of the Delta variant have hung an ominous cloud over the start of the 2021-22 school year. Schools are debating mask policies, whether or not to require faculty to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19, and some are even considering a continuation of remote learning practices developed over the first 18 months of the pandemic. So just how can schools keep their students and faculty safe this year and beyond?
According to the CDC, it all starts with encouraging vaccination. Children as young as 12 can now receive the Pfizer vaccine, so a large portion of the K-12 population is eligible for vaccination. Many colleges and universities are requiring students to have proof of COVID-19 vaccinations in order to return to campus, and the Los Angeles Unified School District is one of the first K-12 school districts to do the same. How many other districts follow suit remains to be seen; but regardless of whether or not your school requires the shot, there are other strategies to employ that will make your campus a safer place to be.
