Parents of Lake and Mendocino County school children are preparing for a new mandate as the state becomes the first in the nation with a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students to attend classes in-person. Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for those 16 and over but only granted an emergency authorization for anyone 12 to 15. Once federal regulators fully approve the vaccine for that group, the state will require students in seventh through 12th grades to get vaccinated in both public and private schools. The same will be expected for elementary school children once the vaccine gains final approval from the U.S. government for those age groups.