Winnipeg private school mandates COVID-19 vaccines for students

Gray Academy Jewish Education school is requiring all eligible students to have a COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to the classroom.

The school says students aged 12 years and up must prove they’re vaccinated by Sept. 2, before school starts Sept. 9.

Students not yet vaccinated have until Sept. 13 to get their first done, and until Sept. 30 to receive both immunizations.

“We are in a pandemic and we take that very seriously,” said Lori Binder, head of school at Gray Academy of Jewish Education told Global News Morning.

“This was done in response to the medical information we now know.”

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In a release sent to parents, the school says the student vaccine mandate is in line with its policy for staff and visitors.

“Our entire goal is to keep our school and our community as healthy and safe as possible,” she said.

Binder says families can request an exemption for medical or religious reasons, but documentation will be required.

“Our values of compassion in order to support families for education and connecting them with physicians to learn more about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.”

Meanwhile, other private schools in Winnipeg say they’re still working on back-to-school plans. Both St. Mary’s Academy and St. Paul’s say plans should be released soon, but would not say if they will include vaccine mandates.

Gray Academy is one of the first younger years schools to require mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in Manitoba.

Post-secondary schools, including the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg and Red River College, have previously made announcements requiring vaccines for all on-campus students.