Correction: A previous version of this article used incorrect wording about the status of the legislation. The correct description has been updated.

ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) — With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to run through the state, the New York State Board of Regents is proposing legislation attempting to help bolster the state’s vaccination numbers in children through school nurses.

This legislation would be an amendment to existing law, subdivision (a) of section 64.7 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, which enacted registered professional nurses the ability to administer immunizations pursuant to a non-patient-specific order issued by a licensed physician or certified nurse practitioner.

This new amendment would allow a registered professional nurse to administer COVID-19 immunizations pursuant to a non-patient-specific order issued by a licensed physician or a certified nurse practitioner.

Nurses would only be allowed to administer the COVD-19 vaccine to children whose parents, or guardians, have given written permission beforehand.

Adding the COVID-19 vaccine to a long list of already approved vaccines such as:

Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Pneumococcus, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Polio, Pertussis, Human Papilloma Virus, Meningococcus, and Herpes Zoster to both adults and children under 18.

The proposed amendment requires that the COVID-19 immunizations be fully approved or authorized for emergency use by the federal Food and Drug Administration to immunize persons against COVID-19. It also requires that the immunizations are administered in the accordance with applicable FDA requirements and recommendations to ensure the vaccine is given as safely as possible.

Ultimately it will be up to each individual school to decide if they will administer the vaccines.

It is anticipated that the proposed rule will be presented to the Board of Regents for permanent adoption at the February 2022 Regents meeting, after the publication of the State Register and expiration of the 60-day public comment period required under the State Administrative Procedure Act.

If this action is adopted at the February meeting, the proposed rule will become effective as a permanent rule on March 2, 2022.