Sault Area Public Schools to host vaccine clinic each day next week

SAULT STE. MARIE — Staff, students and family members of students will all have the opportunity to get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots before classes next week.

Sault Area Public Schools, in partnership with the National Guard are sponsoring a weeklong vaccination clinic for all Sault area schools.

When in-person classes resumed for the elementary, middle and high school students of Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Schools partnered with the National Guard to provide free COVID-19 testing and vaccinations to all students and staff by appointment.

With just two weeks left in the school year, Sault Schools in sponsoring a clinic to receive vaccinations without an appointment for students who may need to be vaccinated in order to attend college or other summer events.

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"We have many students going off to camps and participating in activities on college campuses," said Sault Superintendent Amy Scott-Kronemeyer. "Even though some don't, some of them do require the students to have vaccinations before they go on their campus."

This clinic also lines up with a recent increase in COVID-19 spreading through the Sault community and mask mandates returning to many Michigan counties, including Chippewa County. Sault Area Public Schools encourages any student or family member of students to get the vaccine to keep them safe during the rise of COVID-19 in the area and to give them opportunities that they might not have without vaccination.

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"When communities partner together to meet the needs of students, staff, employees, that is really powerful," said Scott-Kronemeyer. "I think that's what we see a lot of here in Sault Ste. Marie, and for that I'm truly grateful."

The clinic will take place in the parking lots of the various schools and will be administered by members of the National Guard from a green mobile vaccine clinic.

The clinic will be open to any student, staff member or family member of student or staff member from any Sault Area School. To receive the vaccine children must be at least 12 years old or older, children under 18 years old will need parental consent in-person or in written form to receive the vaccine. Every stage of the vaccine will be available, whether it's the first shot, second or the first or second booster shot.

The clinic will be open each day 7 a.m.-10 a.m.; on Monday it will be at Sault Area High School, on Tuesday it will be at Sault Area Middle School, on Wednesday it will be at Malcolm High School, on Thursday it will be at Lincoln Elementary School and on Friday it will be at Washington Elementary School.

This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Sault Area Public Schools sponsoring vaccine clinic for students