With everyone 16 and up now vaccine-eligible, Chicago-area high schools look to help students get their shots
Determined to provide another layer of protection for students and teachers who are back in the classroom, officials at some Chicago-area high schools said they hope to take advantage of Illinois’ recently expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for those 16 and over.
With the expansion of vaccine eligibility for those 16 and older, which began on Monday in Chicago and earlier this month in the rest of Illinois, 53% of the state’s 18 and older population, and 50% of those 16 and older, have now received at least one vaccine dose, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Monday.
The IDPH “recommends everyone 16 years and older be vaccinated and we are looking at the possibility of vaccination clinics for high school students,” IDPH spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said.
The state health department is also working with public universities and local health departments to operate university student vaccination clinics, with expansion to other universities and colleges across the state, she said.
Minors need parental consent for any medical care, including vaccines, Arnold said, adding that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for use in those 16 years and older.
“We strongly encourage parents and children to talk about the importance of vaccination,” Arnold said.
A series of vaccine clinics launched in March at New Trier High School’s Northfield campus and run by Cook County, retail pharmacies and a group of local emergency departments has gotten shots in the arms of 10,000 eligible teachers, senior citizens and first responders from more than 70 surrounding communities, New Trier High School spokeswoman Niki Dizon said Monday.
Now, with the state’s expanded vaccine availability to the general public, including high school students ages 16 and over, around 500 New Trier students received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on April 13, Dizon said.
“We also know many other eligible students have obtained appointments elsewhere,” Dizon said, adding: “We continue to hold second dose clinics for those who got their first doses on site and look for opportunities to hold more first-dose clinics as well.”
At Elgin-based Unit School District 46, Superintendent Tony Sanders said officials at the northwest suburban district that enrolls roughly 37,000 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade are encouraging families to get their students vaccinated.
“As with our staff vaccinations, we will work with our local health departments, hospitals and community health agencies to support the vaccination effort,” Sanders said.
“For staff and other eligible community members, we were able to host one, on-site clinic in the district and would be glad to support that again at the request of our health agencies,” Sanders said.
While receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is not a requirement for school employees or students, Illinois State Board of Education spokesman Max Weiss said, “Protecting our school communities through vaccination is key to continuing progress toward our shared goal of full in-person learning.”
___
