NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday COVID-19 vaccines will be optional in the state’s K-12 public schools, once they become available.
The Republican told reporters that vaccines will be very important for Tennessee to “ultimately really be able to handle” the virus. But he said he doesn’t foresee COVID-19 mandates for school districts in Tennessee, saying vaccines are a choice.
The comment comes as Tennessee and the country at large look toward initial doses of vaccine that could arrive in the next few weeks, amid a surge in the coronavirus that is increasingly straining hospital systems.
