Private and religious schools weigh vaccine mandates FacebookTwitterEmail Private and independent schools are making decisions about whether to require COVID-19 vaccinations.David Ramos / Getty Images Independent schools across Connecticut are weighing the pros and cons of vaccine mandates, considering how far they’ll go to keep their communities safe from COVID-19. With eligibility expanding to school-aged children, now including those ages 12 and older, some primary and secondary schools are deciding whether to require the coronavirus vaccine ahead of this school opening in the fall. A few boarding schools, where students not only take classes together but also live in close quarters, have already announced new immunization requirements next semester.