NYC Kicks Off Week-Long COVID Vaccine Drives at Public Schools: What to Know – NBC New York

What to Know

New York City public schools kick off a series of in-school vaccination drives Monday, creating pop-ups in more than 1,000 buildings that serve students aged 5 to 11 as part of a week-long effort to dose the newly eligible with Pfizer's shot.

That amounts to roughly 200 school sites a day between now and next Monday.

Parents can already take their kids to get the Pfizer shot at city-run vaccine sites, where their kids are eligible for $100 incentives, pharmacies and private providers following the CDC's recommendation that the lower-dose shots be administered to younger children last week. Appointments are recommended but not required.

Those kids who plan to take advantage of the in-school program, which runs through next Monday, need to have a parent or guardian with them to get their COVID vaccinations, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said. Verbal consent can also be provided by phone, though some schools may require in-person supervision.

The idea is to encourage parents to get their kids vaccinated by whichever avenue they deem most comfortable, de Blasio has said. Pediatricians, schools, community sites and other programs are just some of the options.

In announcing the school program last week, the mayor said the city wanted to offer that choice because it might be the most convenient one for some parents.

Children will have to have a parent or guardian, or a designated adult, with them at the time of the shot. Verbal consent can also be provided by phone. Click here to find the consent form, list of school vaccine sites and when they open.

When asked Friday whether he's worried that kids will only get one dose of the two-dose series due to the nature of the pop-up vaccine sites, de Blasio said he's confident parents will follow up on the second shot.

"We saw typically parents choosing to go to other places they get health care rather than do it in the school," de Blasio told WNYC. "So, we're now doing one day per school for the five to 11-year-olds. If we get a really big pickup on that, we certainly can do more and we certainly can come back on the second dose."

Kids who get the COVID vaccine should be able to go maskless in school, says Dr. Alok Patel. "I can't wait to see those kids with their bright, smiling shining faces again," Patel says. He answers all our questions about the COVID vaccines being approved for administration to children.

Since federal health authorities allowed the vaccine for children aged 12-17 over the summer, the mayor said nearly 4 out of 5 of kids in the group across the five boroughs have gotten vaccinated with parental consent.

"The fact that we have gotten parents now to agree to that level, 78% for the 12 to 17-year-olds is great. I think we even have a higher number, ultimately with five to 11, but if we need to do more in schools, if it's working, of course we will," he added.

Once the majority of children are vaccinated, the next question still on parents' minds is when can kids stop wearing masks in school?

Both de Blasio and Mayor-elect Eric Adams say they want kids to be able to take their masks off because it's important for kids to socialize --- but they're going to wait until health experts are certain that kids will be safe.

Fresh on the heels of his mayoral victory last week, Adams told CNN's Dana Bash that he would like to see the mask mandate for the city's youngest residents dropped if scientific data supports it.

"If we can find a safe way to do it, I look forward to getting rid of the masks, but it must be done with the science. We're not going back to turning out city and closing it down," he said Sunday on "State of the Union."

Mayor de Blasio said he's the vaccination rates give him hope that mask requirements can one day be part of pandemic history, but the upcoming colder months are crucial and New Yorkers cannot underestimate the coronavirus.

The CDC director's endorsement of the vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 came hours after an advisory panel unanimously recommended its use.

"Until we're really sure, we have to expect the unexpected, he said. "I want those masks off one day, but we cannot tell you yet here's the exact day or here's the exact standard we're holding because we still need more information."

In other parts of the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul said more than 350 school districts have already indicated they plan to host vaccine events for kids aged 5-11. The Biden administration also plans to send a letter to U.S. elementary schools in the next week asking them to host clinics. The Education Department is also urging schools to host town halls and webinars at which parents can talk to doctors about the vaccine.

For now, the governor expects to rely mainly on pediatric offices to carry out the bulk of the vaccinations for kids aged 5-11, given the trust and relationship factor with individual families and their larger communities. She says she could easily scale up mass vaccination sites again, but doesn't expect that demand to be there.

"I think that most parents are going to feel most comfortable in a place where they know the person administering that shot, especially for the younger kids ... so we are going to let the pediatrician offices handle this for now," Hochul said, adding that she does anticipate schools to be a significant part of the equation as well.

U.S. health advisers have endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for young children. The vote Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration panel moves the nation closer to vaccinating children ages 5 to 11. NBC New York's Anjali Hemphill reports.

Asked whether she expects vaccine mandates to become part of the program for eligible-age students, Hochul echoed sentiments she made since before she was sworn in as governor: "That is a possibility. It is on the table."

"I want to empower parents and the schools to do the right thing first, but if we are not seeing adequate compliance or we start seeing the numbers starting to go up this is what we are monitoring closely if I start seeing the infection rate going up, hospitalization rates going up, more children being affected, I will have no choice," Hochul said. "But right now, the numbers are good. Parents will hopefully do the right thing and I will keep an eye out on that situation."

The mandate question has become a topic of consideration for the Fall 2022 school year, Hochul has said, but she reiterated she wouldn't shy away from making a move sooner if needed. She hopes it doesn't come to that. Currently, there are no COVID vaccination mandates for students in New York's public schools.

Mayor de Blasio has said he opposes such mandates for kids at this point.

Not sure how the process works? Check out our handy tri-state vaccine site finder and FAQs here

New York City and New Jersey Vaccine Providers

Click on each provider to find more information on scheduling appointments for the COVID-19 Vaccine.

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NYC Kicks Off Week-Long COVID Vaccine Drives at Public Schools: What to Know - NBC New York