On-campus vaccinations have begun at Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The school district had planned a joint effort with Miami-Dade County to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for students over age 16, school staff and the general public -- but when the CDC approved the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and up on Friday, the event turned into a greater opportunity for parents to get their adolescents vaccinated.
“Let me just tell you how successful this has been in its first day: Over 1,600 people have been vaccinated in only three sites, because today we opened three sites, 1,600 people,” said MDCPS superintendent Alberto Carvalho, speaking at a joint news conference with Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava.
The two leaders spoke at Miami Jackson Senior High School, which was one of the vaccination sites, along with Sunset Senior High and North Miami Senior High.
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Anyone under 18 had to have a parent or legal guardian with them, but appointments are not necessary.
A line formed at North Miami High School just before the noon start time. Joseph Schwartz took his 12-year-old son, Asher, to get his shot.
“My son is on the spectrum and I think this will be a great step to help him get back in the classroom like his younger brother and then to protect the community in general,” Schwartz said, adding that this is the way for his family to return to normal.
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Marialaura Leslie brought her son, Michael, who’s a freshman at iPrep Academy.
“For his health and safety and that of everybody else, to end this pandemic,” Leslie said, explaining her reasoning.
“I’m very, looking forward to get back to normal,” Michael said.
At Jackson High, 13-year-old Christopher Hernandez was on line to get his shot.
“And the reason why it’s important to get vaccinated is not wanting to protect you but to protect everyone in the family and in the world,” Christopher said.
Here’s the vaccine schedule for Miami-Dade County Public Schools:
Vaccines are available on Saturday 5/15 and Saturday 5/22 from 9 a.m - 5 p.m at the following locations for the general public. Appointments are not required but you are encouraged to pre-register here to save time on-site.
1. North Miami Senior High School: 13110 NE 8th Ave, North Miami, FL 33161
2. Miami Jackson Senior High School: 1751 NW 36th St, Miami, FL 33142
3. Miami Sunset Senior High School: 13125 SW 72nd St, Miami, FL 33183
4. Homestead Senior High School: 2351 SE 12th Ave, Homestead, FL 33035
5. Robert Morgan Educational Center: 18180 SW 122nd Ave, Miami, FL 33177
6. Hialeah Gardens Senior High School: 11700 Hialeah Gardens Blvd, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018
Vaccines are also available on Thursday, 5/13 and Thursday, 5/20 from 12 - 8 p.m. for employees, students, and parents of M-DCPS and charter schools; appointments will be coordinated through M-DCPS directly.
1. North Miami Senior High School: 13110 NE 8th Ave, North Miami, FL 33161
2. Miami Jackson Senior High School: 1751 NW 36th St, Miami, FL 33142
3. Miami Sunset Senior High School: 13125 SW 72nd St, Miami, FL 33183
4. Hialeah Gardens Senior High School: 11700 Hialeah Gardens Blvd, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018 - Starts 5/15
“This is a critically, critically important, we are actually leading the way in Florida in Miami-Dade County, we have the highest rate of vaccination and we’re doing that because of the aggressive actions that we’re taking, we fully understand that we cannot get back to normal and children cannot get back to normal until we take the shot,” Levine Cava said.
The mayor and superintendent emphasized that adults do not have to present identification to receive their vaccinations at the schools. The idea is to eliminate an obstacle many people in South Florida have, the fear of being deported, in order to get as many people vaccinated as possible.
Carvalho also said he’s not yet sure how the new CDC guidelines for vaccinated people will impact the upcoming summer school session or next school year.
