In September, Eric Adams announced students attending NYC public schools would no longer be required to have the COVID-19 vaccination to participate in high-risk activities such as sports and extracurricular music and theater programs. 

Athletic director Lauren Caiaccia said she believes that lifting the vaccine mandate will “provide an opportunity for those individuals who had a reason or were unable to get the vaccine to have the same opportunities to participate in sports as everybody else.”

She said that no parents or community members have approached her to express concerns regarding this decision.

“I feel comfortable with the vaccine-mandate [being] lifted as I am vaccinated and still take safe precautions when necessary,” said Senior Aissatou Lam, who plays for both the varsity volleyball and basketball teams.

“Everyone has to make their own choices,” Ms. Caiaccia said. “We have been dealing with COVID-19 since 2020 and at this stage of the game, people have to make informed decisions about [getting] the vaccine, no vaccine, booster shot, no booster shot. Everyone has to make their own choice.”

This change comes as other COVID-related changes were made at the start of the school year, including the lifting of a requirement for all students to fill out health screening questionnaires as a condition for entering school buildings. However, THHS students continue to regularly receive at-home COVID tests from the school to screen themselves for the virus.