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NYC To Install COVID Vaccine Clinics At 4 Bronx Schools
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jun 2, 2021
Modified Jun 4, 2021
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lakshmiprasada S / Shutterstock
By
Sophia Chang
Published Jun 2, 2021
Modified Jun 4, 2021
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The city will launch a pilot vaccination program Friday at four Bronx schools where all New York City kids older than 12 can get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. [UPDATE, June 4th: See locations below]
Mayor Bill de Blasio said since children ages 12-17 became eligible for the Pfizer vaccine on May 12th, 118,000 New York City adolescents have gotten their shots, or 23% of that age range. That's compared to 20% of 12-17 year olds nationally as of June 1st, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The mayor wants to push this number even further.
Bringing sites to local schools will improve access, de Blasio said, and the plan is to eventually establish hubs at schools across all five boroughs. On Monday, the city will add school sites in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn to the pilot program. All participating children will need the consent of their parents or guardians.
“It's going to be a way to reach a lot of young people quickly, and it's going to be a way to encourage parents to understand how incredible it is, what a great feeling it is, to know your child is safe,” de Blasio said at his press briefing Wednesday.
Mark Levine, the chair of the City Council’s Health Committee, said at the mayor's daily press briefing that schools were a natural venue for vaccine sites “because they've already got records of how old kids are, they are very good at getting parental and guardian consent, and they have relationships and trust with families." Council Member Levine added that "this really is a win for equity, taking this to schools in neighborhoods that have been hard hit by COVID, and where we do need to increase the vaccination rate.”
The pilot program will be coordinated with the United Federation of Teachers union, though details of who will be administering the shots were not immediately available Wednesday. Parents and guardians of kids who come for their vaccinations will also be able to get a shot simultaneously, said UFT spokesperson Alison Gendar.
“We want to make the vaccine available and to make it as easy as possible for our families and students to get it. Schools are a logical place,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew in a statement.
The full list of the four schools administering vaccine shots this week was not immediately available, but one of the locations, the Bronx Writing Academy at 270 East 167th Street, will administer vaccinations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. The clinic will be open to all eligible New Yorkers and will feature a DJ, games and an ice cream station, the UFT said.
Parents are asked to RSVP on behalf of their children and to prepare the consent form available at www.uft.org/BWAvax, or to call 1-855-809-4073 for more information.
People who get vaccinated at the four Bronx schools Friday will receive their second dose on Friday, June 25th, the last day of public school in New York City. Students who are vaccinated at a school next week and beyond will be scheduled for their second doses at an open school this summer, Gendar said.
Department of Education spokesperson Danielle Filson said in a statement the school vaccination sites will help the city "gear up to a full school opening in the fall."
All New Yorkers ages 12-17 who get at least their vaccine first dose from now up until July 7th can enter to win one of 50 full-ride scholarships to any two-year or four-year New York State public college or university -- as well as a slew of other incentives.
UPDATE: The Department of Education says these four Bronx sites are offering vaccines Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
Bronx Writing Academy and JHS Jordan L. Mott - both at 270 E. 167th Street in the Bronx.
JHS 118 William W. Niles - 577 East 179th Street, Bronx.
MS 180 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams - 750 Baychester Avenue, Bronx.
On Sunday and Monday, the DOE will operate three vaccination sites from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:
IS 90 - 21 Jumel Place, Manhattan
IS 88 - 544 7th Avenue, Brooklyn
PS 214 - 1970 West Farms Road, Bronx.
The DOE's updated list of vaccination sites can be found here.
Tagged
COVID-19
new york city
children
public schools
United Federation of Teachers
vaccine
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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