Illinois Gov. Pritzker defers decision on student COVID-19 vaccine mandate to legislature

Incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he plans to let lawmakers decide if the state should require students to get a COVID-19 vaccine to go to school.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the COVID-19 vaccine be on the schedule of youth vaccines for next year. States across the country take that and mandate certain inoculations for school attendance. When asked about it Thursday, Pritzker deferred to the state legislature.

“The CDC has made a recommendation, that’s true, but this is a process that we need to consider. All across the state we have representatives that want to be heard on this subject, I think it’s appropriate,” Pritzker said. “I think we should follow the scientists and doctors, that’s what I’ve been doing all along. Make sure we’re doing the right thing here.”

Through executive orders, Pritzker had previously mandated COVID vaccines for K-12 staff, and college students and staff.

Last week, Republican challenger Darren Bailey said he’d oppose such a mandate. On Thursday, he explained why.

“That’s a personal choice. Government has absolutely no business mandating, forcing any kind of health care such as that,” Bailey told The Center Square. “I believe that school choice and the voucher system would be the answer to that, allowing parents to decide where their children go to school at. I think that would be the saving grace to public education and to stop a lot of this nonsense that we’re witnessing.”

Libertarian candidate Scott Schluter also opposes requiring a COVID-19 vaccine for school children.

The election is Nov. 8.