Over 10,000 children between the ages of five and 11 have gotten their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary school-based vaccination site, officials said Wednesday.
On Monday, the City started offering COVID-19 vaccines for at least one day at all public schools serving students between the ages of five to 11 now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech’s inoculation on children in that age group.
Turnout has been higher than expected at school-based vaccination sites with roughly 5,800 children getting the first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday alone. Just over 31, 330 younger children have gotten their first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine since last Thursday, according to City officials.
“We really want to encourage parents to come in…we will accommodate them in our schools,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
When the initiative was announced last week, Mayor de Blasio said all 1,070 school sites serving kids within the age group will host a temporary vaccination site for one day until Nov. 15. But now given the high turnout at some school locations, officials have pledged to add more days.
On Wednesday, 200 school sites are offering the vaccine with the help of 24 mobile vaccinations units. No school sites will offer the inoculation on Thursday due to the Veterans Day holiday, but health officials will be back on sites on Friday.
Families do not need to set up an appointment for children before heading to a school-based vaccination site but do need to provide written or verbal consent with an authorized adut.
