"This is the way we protect our kids," says Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
With approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-to-11 in hand, City of Hartford officials and members of the local medical community say they're ready to deliver.
Among numerous vaccination opportunities available, Connecticut Children's and the Hartford Yard Goats will host a kids' vaccine clinic at Dunkin' Donuts Park on Sun., Nov. 14.
Why such urgency? Doctors say that children are susceptible to COVID-19. Vaccinations not only protect kids and those around them, they slow community transmission, which is at the heart of the continuing global pandemic.
"Two million kids in the U.S. have suffered COVID-19 in the 5-to-11 year old group," says Dr. Juan Salazar, Physician-in-Chief at Connecticut Children's in Hartford, speaking at a news conference announcing the Nov. 14 clinic. "38,000 have been hospitalized... and over 90 have died as a result of COVID-19."
Harford Public Schools officials say about 30% of the student population is now vaccinated against COVID-19, all 12 and over. The schools and the capital city's Health & Human Services Department are working to boost that number, fighting misinformation and reluctance by some adults along the way.
"For many parents, the opportunity to keep their child in school is going to be a huge selling point," says Hartford Health Director Liany Arroyo, explaining that vaccinated students who have close contact with a COVID patient don't have to quarantine. "We also acknowledge that there might be parents who are going to wait, so we're going to have more clinics... to provide additional opportunities as parents sort of see how the rollout happens."
Connecticut Children's, Hartford Healthcare and other providers have already started to vaccinate the 5-to-11 population.
Mayor Bronin shared what his kids are saying about the vaccine: "My 12-year-old felt an enormous sense of relief when she got that vaccine. My 10-year-old and 8-year-old can't wait to get that same protection."