Aragon is steadily making progress toward becoming a fully vaccinated campus, with new policies in the works. Additionally, staff are now eligible for booster shots and rapid testing has been implemented at campuses across the San Mateo Union High School District.
More than 98% of Aragon faculty and staff have received both of their shots. With a student vaccination rate of 91%, Aragon is well above the District average of 87%, according to the District’s data. One hundred and thirty two students have not yet been vaccinated, and 30 have only received their first dose.
For the few staff that haven’t been vaccinated, the state now mandates weekly testing.
“Beginning [on] Oct. 15 … vaccination verification needed to be in place for schools K-12,” said SMUHSD Health Services Manager Sara Devaney. “That means that we need to verify everyone’s [vaccinations] on campus, whether you’re a paid employee, volunteer or coach. If you’re not vaccinated, you are required to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.”
For students, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Oct. 1 that as soon as vaccines are fully approved for students age 12 and older, policies will be written to require those attending school in-person to be vaccinated.
“Children 18 and younger … have no control over their vaccine status. … This could really divide us”
The SMUHSD has proposed a new policy, mandating vaccinations or weekly testing for students participating in extracurricular activities outside of school. This policy excludes those participating in clubs during school hours and spectators at events such as football games and plays. The District’s COVID-19 policy is based on guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We can always be more strict than the state or the county,” Devaney said. “We just can’t be less [strict].”
While many support mandating vaccination, some worry about how doing so could divide the student body.
“If [students] are vaccinated, less people will get COVID-19,” said freshman Sophia Goodwin. “Then again, it limits people [from participating in extracurricular activities], and makes them feel left out. It’s kind of isolating.”
Sophomore Evan Li felt similarly to Goodwin.
“I think [the mandate is] a good idea,” Li said. “I can see how it’s not realistically feasible in certain areas, so it shouldn’t be a limiting factor as to why [unvaccinated students] can’t get an education.”
Others are concerned about the students who want to be vaccinated, but don’t have parental consent.
“I wasn’t worried that I would get sick. I didn’t want to bring something home”
“For children 18 and younger, they have no control over their vaccine status, and as their parents make this decision for them, they’re going to be pushed out,” said community member Laurel Peters at the Oct. 14 Board meeting during public comment. “This could really divide us.”
The District has already set up testing and vaccination systems which would ease the transition if a vaccine mandate policy passes. They also now offer on-site rapid testing to any student, regardless of vaccination status. With nasal swab testing kits, testing takes three to five minutes and students receive their results within half an hour. Every school in the District offers testing once a week, and students can go to any school for a test.
In the week of Oct. 21, 178 students and 208 staff were tested through the onsite Primary Health Testing, according to Devaney.
“I had some symptoms for a cold, [so] I thought, just to be safe, I’d go get tested, so that I could come back to school,” Li said. “They wouldn’t let you go back to school if they hadn’t gotten a photo of your COVID-19 test results after they sent you home for being sick. It was fast and convenient. I went to San Mateo and was done in less than 15 minutes, and my results were emailed to me soon after.”
In the meantime, some fully vaccinated faculty and staff are getting booster shots, now that the CDC has approved the Pfizer vaccine booster. Math teacher Alice Hu recently received a booster to protect her two children below the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
“I wasn’t worried that I would get sick,” Hu said. “I didn’t want to bring something home.”
The extracurricular vaccination or testing policy is set to be voted on at the Oct. 28 Board meeting that starts at 7 p.m.
