WSBOH clarifies misinformation regarding January 12 meeting

OLYMPIA—The Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) will host a public, virtual meeting on January 12. The meeting has garnered much attention on social media from parents and caregivers of school-aged children.

Rumors online suggest that the Board will be voting to require a COVID-19 vaccine for all school-aged children; however, that is not the case, according to a release that is available for viewing on http://www.sboh.wa.gov.

The SBOH will not be voting to require a COVID-19 vaccine for children at the January 12 meeting. The Board will receive a briefing on the progress of the technical advisory group (TAG), which has been tasked with establishing criteria to develop and provide a recommendation.

TAG will present its recommendation to the SBOH at a regular meeting, a date to be determined. The Board, at their discretion, may or may not approve the TAG recommendation. Vaccine exemption allowances currently listed in the state’s immunizations law, including religious, philosophical, medical, and personal exemptions, would be available for families and their children who choose not to vaccinate against COVID-19, should the recommendation be accepted.

The SBOH will not be voting to change isolation or quarantine policies at the January 12 meeting. The Board will be continuing a November 2021 rules hearing on the proposed rule changes to chapter 246-100 WAC, Communicable and Certain Other Diseases, as published in WSR 21-20-127 at the meeting. The board proposes updating its rules to reflect current state law to align with Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1551.

All meeting information became available on January 7.