The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 received final authorization from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Nov. 2 and Worcester officials, with the help of UMass Chan Medical School volunteers, have hit the ground running to vaccinate the city’s children. Teams of clinicians and UMass Chan students are fanning out to cover 50 Worcester schools over nine school days, from Nov. 8 through Nov. 19.
which are one-third of the dose for adolescents and adults, to more than 500 sites.
Flyers and permission slips were sent to the homes of Worcester Public School students weeks before the rollout of the pediatric-dose vaccine, in anticipation of federal regulators’ authorization, according to Matilde Castiel, MD, associate professor of medicine and commissioner of health and human services for the City of Worcester.
State health officials began distributing pediatric doses of the vaccine, which are one-third of the dose for adolescents and adults, to more than 500 sites including local boards of health, community health centers, pediatricians’ offices, hospitals, retail pharmacies and other locations as soon as regulators acted.
“We don’t anticipate any supply issues,” said Gov. Charlie Baker at a press conference Nov. 4.
Dr. Castiel said the in-school vaccination events are particularly important for reaching members of the Black and Hispanic communities, who have been hit particularly hard with COVID-19 infection and have lower vaccination rates than white and Asian communities. She said roughly 80 percent of Worcester K-12 students are people of color.
The COVID-19 vaccination outreach for younger children builds on an effort to encourage families and adolescents age 12 and older to get vaccinated. A campaign called #PostVaxLife, a partnership between the city and UMass Chan Prevention Research Center with funding from the CDC, works with diverse youth leaders known as Worcester Youth Vaccine Ambassadors to spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated.
A #PostVaxLife vaccination event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 10 at the JMAC Brickbox Theatre, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. Individuals 5 and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine. Refreshments, prizes and a photo exhibit by George Annan will be part of the fun. A #PostVaxLife campaign video by 24-year-old Worcester resident Fernando Ponce, highlighting the joy and urgency of vaccination, will also be screened. And participants can see videos and memes of the youths who took part in the Worcester youth COVID-19 vaccine video/meme contest this summer.
The event is sponsored by Worcester State University Latino Education Institute, UMass Chan Prevention Research Center, the City of Worcester, UMass Chan Medical School and REACH Worcester.
“It’s great to be doing this as a celebration when we give the vaccine,” said Castiel. “The ambassadors talk about why they got the vaccine, why it was important. You know, there are some who will say, ‘My parents are immunodeficient and I wanted to protect them and protect myself,’ and, ‘My dad got really ill with COVID and I want to make sure no one else in my family gets sick.’”
Castiel added that the #PostVaxLife videos, photos and flyers will be distributed to hospitals, health centers and doctors’ offices. She said, “I know physicians are really busy taking care of people with COVID and don’t always have time to bring up the vaccine. But at least
