With the Omicron variant of COVID-19 still surging right now, and many people still unvaccinated, the Columbia and Jefferson City public schools have temporarily issues a mandate for students in their schools, regardless of the vaccination status of the kids. This will also apply to staff.

Will Sedalia and Warrensburg public schools be next?

There has been a spike in cases in the schools, which is why the mandate is now in place.  The mandates were announced Jan 13th.  According to CPS, masks must be worn inside all school and district buildings, as well as school buses, regardless of vaccination status. JCSD said a mask must be worn in any instance when social distancing of at least 3 feet cannot be maintained.

I know this has been a hot button issue for quite some time.  I have seen people protesting against mandates.  I have heard people complaining that we need to get the kids back in school, and cut down on the virtual learning. Many people still do not believe masks work at all, and the state of Missouri has only about 54% of its population vaccinated according to the Mayo clinic.

When I was living in Indiana, and I moved during the beginning of this pandemic, I was the only one of my radio station who did not catch Covid-19.   I was pretty diligent about wearing a mask wherever I went, and I got vaccinated as soon as I could, and I now have been boosted.

If cases continue to rise, it will be interesting to see if the school in our listening area, follow suit.  As for the CPS and JCPS, the CPS mandate is set to end on Friday, February 4. JCSD has not announced an end date, saying on its website that the mandate will remain in effect until further notice.

Whatever decision you make, we certainly want to make sure our kids are safe.  Getting vaccinated as a child was a requirement for me, in regards to measles, mumps, etc.  So it is encouraged to get your kids their vaccination.  We will see what happens going forward.  Stay safe.

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

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