Covid-19 Vaccine Clinics are Being Scheduled
Dear Parents and Guardians,
This week, the final approvals for the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11 have been made and the vaccine is beginning to roll out nationwide. Salem Public Schools encourages you to have your child vaccinated to protect themselves, your family & loved ones, and the school community.
The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective against infection, serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Over 70 percent of Massachusetts youth ages 12-17 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting your child vaccinated will help limit COVID-19 spread in our school and community, and it can help keep your child and their schoolmates in school.
If you have questions or hesitations about giving your child the Covid-19 vaccine, we encourage you to speak to your child’s pediatrician.
Salem Public Schools is planning to have vaccination clinics across our school sites for this age group beginning next week. Please keep an eye on your ParentSquare account as appointment slots become available for clinics in our schools. If spots are filled, new clinics will be added as our partners receive more doses.
Right now, the supply available to SPS through our partners is limited and it seems the state is directing the bulk of the supply to pharmacies. If you do not want to wait for a Salem Public Schools clinic, we recommend checking with your pediatrician’s office or contacting area pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS, and area grocery stores as they tend to have slots open up more regularly.
More information, as well as safety information and helpful questions and answers, are all available at www.mass.gov/covidvaccine
As a reminder:
- The COVID vaccine is free for all, and no ID or insurance is needed to be vaccinated;
- You can get vaccinated even if you are undocumented. Getting a vaccine will not impact your or your family’s immigration status. The Public Charge rule does NOT apply to getting the vaccine.
Getting your family vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. We appreciate your help to keep all of our students, faculty, staff, and volunteers, as well as our community, safe and healthy this fall and all year long.