Maplewood Schools Tell Where Kids Can Get COVID Vaccines, Tests – Patch.com
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District announced Tuesday that kids age 5-11 can now get COVID-19 vaccines at several Essex County sites, and that local testing will be available at upcoming MediMobile Testing stops in Maplewood.
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Last Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer pediatric vaccine (read the CDC explanation here).
Children generally get two doses that are approximately three weeks apart. (Check with your doctor if your children have health concerns.)
The school district directed parents to make an appointment or get more information at the Essex County web page:
Recent photos show some of the sites decked out to welcome kids:
Coronavirus vaccine shots for children ages 5 to 11 have begun at Essex County’s centers in Newark, Livingston and West Orange.
https://t.co/ffsVK3KYP8
— Maplewood Patch (@MaplewoodPatch) November 3, 2021
SOMSD Additional Testing News
The school district, in partnership with MediMobile (http://bit.ly/C19Test_Vaccine), will continue walk-in COVID Rapid and PCR Testing on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Columbia High School, the district noted.
“As the weather gets colder, please go to the CHS Cafeteria, enter from Parker Avenue parking lot,” the district said.
In addition to Saturdays, MediMobile will test on Wednesdays 4-6 p.m. starting Nov. 10 at the Board of Education building, 525 Academy Street. Walk-in, Rapid and PCR tests are available.
Why Vaccinate Children?
Nationally, more than 750,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19, the majority over 18. Those who advocate vaccinating children point out that they may spread the disease to those who are more vulnerable, including their own caregivers.
More than 140,000 children in America have lost a parent to COVID-19, the CDC estimates.
“Although children are at a lower risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 compared with adults,” the CDC notes,
Children can:
- Be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19
- Get very sick from COVID-19
- Have both short and long-term health complications from COVID-19
- Spread COVID-19 to others
Read more about the clinical trials and vaccine information for children here.
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