WA middle school students will be vaccinated as districts expand access

Many families have already flocked to the mass public vaccination sites that were open until last month, and counties like Northshore and Highline have sought partnerships to offer students and families vaccines that keep accessibility and ease in mind.

“This is really a direct response to the pandemic and state of emergency we are in and seeks to make vaccination easier, especially in our most vulnerable communities that are really the draw in the Highline School District,” said Jenny Brackett who has organized vaccine pop-ups in many locations with University of Washington Medical Center outpatient clinics.

The vaccination clinics also allow adults who need a vaccination to get vaccinated. While skepticism and reluctance have been a cause for many adults who are yet to be vaccinated, attending local schools has removed another barrier for some.

“It’s more about convenience,” Brackett said. “You never found the time to do the work for you. So the families come and do everything together. “

These efforts did not meet with general approval from parents. Anti-vaccine protesters came to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic organized with the help of students from Ridgefield High School north of Vancouver, Washington.

Kingston Casault, who will be in seventh grade at Chinook Middle School in SeaTac next year, was given the choice of whether or not to have the vaccine by his mother, Criselda.

He hopes for a return to normal.

“I got the vaccine because it made me feel safe,” said Kingston, 12, who said he was one of the few students in his class to return to face-to-face lessons this year.

Marvin Alvardo, Jacqueline’s father, said the family also wants his children to avoid what happened to the family’s adults last April when they all got COVID-19, including his older parents.

“We were sick for a month,” said Marvin Alvarado. “Fortunately not the children.”

The adults all recovered and were vaccinated when eligible. Alvarado was relieved last week that the vaccine was becoming available to the rest of the family.

“Thank god to do.”