California is scrutinizing doctors issuing medical exemptions for schools’ Covid-19 vaccine mandates. As some parents scramble for ways around vaccine requirements for schools, the state is increasingly looking at doctors who are issuing suspicious exemptions. States’ use of medical exemptions is a longtime practice to excuse students for medical reasons from taking one or more vaccines, including measles, polio and tetanus. Medical exemptions for vaccines in California have quadrupled over a four-year span through 2019-20 for kindergarteners—far outpacing the flat figures nationwide over the period, according to federal data. The state is disciplining more doctors over their exemptions, which in most cases excused children from all vaccines. Covid-19 shots have been shown to be safe and effective, and the CDC says inoculations are essential to provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening illnesses. High vaccination rates also help curb preventable diseases, the agency says. Why is air travel so miserable right now? As fliers have found this summer and fall, and more are likely to discover over the holidays, short-staffed airlines are even tougher to get back on track. Cancellations continue for days. Why are takeoffs in California delayed hours because of problems in Florida? One plane’s path helps explain carriers’ recent snags: A Southwest aircraft flew 16 trips over four days one October holiday weekend—it often flies five or six a day—and had six cancellations over that period. From severe weather to flight crews exhausting their maximum daily hours, disruptions led to more disruptions. Many crew members also called in sick, which has happened more since the start of the pandemic, leaving fewer crews on reserve duty than normal. Southwest said it plans to trim its flight schedule for the holidays. College students and parents may have a tricker time filling out the Fafsa form this year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Fafsa) for the 2022-2023 school year opened on Oct. 1. The form uses financial information from applicants’ 2020 tax returns, but some families’ financial circumstances may have deteriorated since then due to the pandemic. If that’s the case, families should contact the financial-aid offices of schools they’re applying to or attending and ask that their changed finances be taken into account. They should also be prepared to provide supplemental information that can detail the changes. Documents like bills, signed letters from caregivers or medical providers, court documents, termination letters, proof of unemployment benefits, pay stubs and out-of-pocket repair costs after a natural disaster could all help. |