Students from West Hartford Public Schools, as well as any students who attend non-public schools in West Hartford, can register for a vaccination clinic arranged by the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District.

By Ronni Newton

Less than a day after the FDA announced that children as young as age 12 would be eligible to receive the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, West Hartford Public Schools, together with the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District, has arranged a vaccination clinic for students.

“We’re going back to UConn,” Health Director Aimee Krauss told We-Ha.com Tuesday afternoon.

West Hartford children ages 12 and up won’t have to wait long for the opportunity to receive their shots. The clinics will be held on Monday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 18, Krauss said. Appointments will be available between 3-7 p.m. both days.

Second doses will be scheduled after the first dose, and will be held at the same location.

To schedule an appointment, call 860-679-5589.

The appointments are open to West Hartford Public Schools students ages 12 and up as well as students who attend a non-public school in West Hartford. Parents or guardians must accompany students to provide consent to treat, Krauss said.

All students must bring some form of identification (license or school ID) as well as an insurance card if possible, but vaccines will be available to those who do not have insurance.

The Health District had partnered with UConn Health in Farmington for clinics for West Hartford Public School students where the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine was administered on April 21 and 24. Students who took advantage of the opportunity are scheduled for their second doses this week.

“Vaccination continues to be a critical tool in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and keeping our schools and community safe. In fact, the CT Department of Health recently shared that 50% of Connecticut’s children aged 16+ have received at least a first dose of vaccine. This is a positive step that we hope continues over the coming months. Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for use in children aged 12+, many West Hartford families are anxious to get their students vaccinated,” West Hartford Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Andy Morrow said in an email sent to families Tuesday afternoon.

The clinic is located at the UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 135 Dowling Way, Farmington. Once you arrive, park in the garage, walk across to the first floor, and follow the signage to the vaccination location.

In addition, Krauss said that the UConn Outpatient Pavilion is also available as a walk-in location, for those of eligible ages who do not have an appointment. For anyone under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must be present. Information about the hours can be found here.

Parents can also contact local pharmacies and other area clinics to schedule vaccination appointments for those ages 12 and up.

“If you have questions or need help locating an appointment, please call 211 or 877-918-2224. If we all continue to work together with the goal of keeping our schools open and do all we can to keep each other healthy and safe, we will have a successful end to this school year as One Community,” Morrow’s letter states.

Krauss also noted that the West Hartford vaccination site at 46 Kane St. has 100 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine available this Thursday. The clinic is open from 9 a.m.-noon. with no appointment required.

The Health District had some J&J doses left from before the pause in mid-April, and they must be used before their expiration date.

“People have called and were looking for the single shot,” Krauss said. Those who have expressed interest in receiving the J&J shot are a variety of ages and genders, she said.

The Moderna vaccine is also administered by the Health District at the Kane Street clinic.

Both the Moderna and J&J vaccines are only authorized for individuals ages 18 and older at this time.

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