CHICAGO — Illinois will now require staff at licensed daycare centers to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. State officials say this is to prevent further spread of COVID-19 and to protect Illinois’ youngest residents.
There are more than 55,000 daycare center staff in the state. Employees who are not already vaccinated will need to get the shot. If they are unable or unwilling to receive the vaccine will be required to get tested once a week.
“By extending vaccine-or-test requirements to those who work at licensed daycare centers, we are adding another level of protection for our youngest residents and preventing outbreaks in daycare centers as more and more parents return to work,” said Gov. JB Pritzker in a press release.
All licensed daycare center staff in Illinois will be required to receive their first dose of a two-dose COVID vaccine series or a single-dose vaccine by December 3, 2021. The second dose will be required by January 3, 2022.
Additionally, any daycare center staff members who are not fully vaccinated by December 3, 2021, will have to do, at a minimum, weekly COVID-19 testing until they are fully vaccinated.
In August, Illinois required vaccinations or testing for all PreK-12 teachers and staff; higher education personnel; all higher education students; and healthcare workers in a variety of settings.