This week temporary vaccinate sites will return to about 60 New York City public schools serving children between the ages of five and 11, City officials announced Tuesday.
Officials decided to offer in-school vaccinations again at select school sites on Wednesday and Thursday after families turned out in droves to get their younger children inoculated against the virus.
“This is the only city in the country offering in-school vaccination on a totally comprehensive scale, because we go to where the people are,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We go to where the children are. We go to where the families are. “
Since City-run vaccination sites began offering the vaccine to younger children earlier this month, roughly 72,000 five to 11-year-old children have gotten their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine with in-school vaccinations making a third of those vaccinations, according to officials.
De Blasio told reporters 30 schools will have temporary vaccination sites again on Wednesday followed by another 30 on Thursday. Families can find out which schools, which experienced high demand from families during their first visit from health officials, the shot will administer the vaccine again this week by visiting the Department of Education website.
Health officials will also return to all 1,070 schools sites serving five to 11-year-olds for 10 days starting Nov. 30 to offer second doses of the vaccine or first doses to children who have still not been inoculated, de Blasio said. Charter schools can now request to host a vaccine clinic with first dose visits able to begin Friday, Nov. 19.
“At last, the moment so many families have waited so long for, our youngest students have access to this life-saving vaccine,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “We are so proud to have our young people get vaccinated at a place they feel safe at – their school. Every vaccination means another protected child and more uninterrupted learning.”
