Student-athletes in Portsmouth must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Portsmouth School Board has passed a resolution to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all middle and high school students taking part in sports and extracurricular activities.

In a letter sent to families on Friday, the school board relayed the latest updates regarding the vaccine mandate. The resolution was passed Thursday evening requiring all middle and high school students to either be vaccinated by Dec. 6 or be tested weekly at school in order to participate in school programs or other extracurricular activities.

The weekly testing will be available at schools and it will be done at no charge.

Officials say the school division will be hosting vaccination clinics in the weeks to come to help families get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.

Portsmouth is not the first to pass similar resolutions. Area school divisions have already voted on vaccine mandates for athletes and those in extracurricular activities, including Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake.