ACPS is not requiring staff to get vaccinated before school starts systemwide August 24

As Alexandria City Public Schools plans a systemwide reopening to full-time in-person instruction on August 24, staff will not be required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

ACPS told ALXnow that there is not a vaccine requirement at this time.

“We continue working in partnership with the Alexandria Health Department on health mitigation measures to help keep our students and staff safe in our schools, and will continue sharing information about any changes in these measures,” ACPS Executive Director of Human Resources Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt said in a statement.

ACPS opened its vaccine clinic to staff at T.C. Williams High School (now named Alexandria City High School) to great fanfare in January.

With COVID numbers on the rise, the Alexandria School Board unanimously decided this month that all 15,000+ students and staff wear protective face coverings in school. The Virginia Department of Health says unvaccinated residents account for a vast majority of new COVID cases.

Some of Alexandria’s immediate neighbors have taken action. In July, Fairfax County passed a measure requiring all county staff to get vaccinated. City staff in Washington, D.C. are also required to be vaccinated by August 19.