Vax clinics, for younger school children, to start this week

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Editor’s Note: The following is an updated version of a COVID Update from VashonBePrepared, sent by email to community members on Friday, Nov. 5. The original email is available to read in Spanish and English at tinyurl.com/yan39zeh.

School Vaccination Has Started

Vaccinations for young children finally got underway this week, and parents have been responding immediately and enthusiastically. In the first 24 hours the vaccination registration signup was open, 200 children had been signed up by their parents, about two-thirds of the first target group for getting shots.

An initial small shipment of pediatric vaccine was allocated for Vashon and the arrival of that first shipment will allow us to quickly ramp up a series of school-based vaccination clinics.

All children ages 5 through 11 are eligible, including those who are not VISD students. Vaccines are free to all.

If all goes well, the current plan for vaccination clinics at the schools means Vashon children will receive their first vaccine dose before Thanksgiving and be fully vaccinated by the December holidays. That’s a big jump in protection for the holidays and that’s important because holiday gatherings and travel triggered a major COVID spike on the island last year.

Vaccinations are taking place right on school grounds, thanks to a collaboration between Vashon Island School District, Vashon Pharmacy, VashonBePrepared, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

The series of vaccination clinics has been organized in grade-level groups. That’s so the clinics can be designed around the needs of the children and their families, especially the youngest kids, who might be a bit anxious about getting a shot. Also, the limited supply of vaccine at the start of this project means it will not be possible to vaccinate all grade-level groups at once.

Three Grade-Level Groups Served in This Order

• First up this week were children in grades 3 through 5. After-school first-dose clinics were scheduled for Nov. 10 and 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. Registration for this group closed on Tuesday this week, as the Beachcomber was going to press.

• The second group will be children in grade 6 (ages 11 and younger only). These clinics will be given during the school day. Vaccination of this group starts on Nov. 12 and a second clinic will be held during school hours a few days later when more vaccine arrives. Registration for this group also closed on Tuesday this week, as the Beachcomber was going to press.

• The third group will be children aged 5 and older in grades pre-K through 2nd grade. Registration for this group has not yet opened. Clinics for this youngest group of children will be held on a weekend at Chautauqua Elementary. This clinic has not yet been scheduled as we wait for more vaccine to arrive.

If you missed registration, please see your health care provider. Parental permission is mandatory under state law and it isn’t possible for us to conduct mass vaccination clinics of this type without advance registration so we can plan out the process of doing hundreds of injections in just a few days.

Children will automatically be scheduled for their second-dose clinics to occur three weeks after they receive their first dose.

Booster Vax Operations Shift Back to Pharmacy

Booster shot vaccinations for adults continue to be available, but at a different location. The high-volume booster vaccination operation located at the Methodist Church has been put on hiatus while volunteer resources are shifted to operate the upcoming school vaccination clinics. You will still register at the same web page: VashonPharmacy.com/COVID. However, you will be given directions for getting your shot inside the Pharmacy.

School District Launches Student and Staff Testing on Campus

The School District has launched daily COVID-19 testing for VISD staff and students on the school campus. The drive-through/walk-up testing operation is open Monday through Friday from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Tests are free. No appointments are needed, just drop in. Students must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian unless they are 18 or older.

The new testing operation serves only District staff and students, so parents and other family members will need to obtain testing elsewhere. The service is for those who are symptomatic or concerned they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. No testing is available for travel or medical procedure purposes.

The drive-through and walk-up site operates at the south end of the StudentLink building, near the swimming pool. Drivers should enter the parking area from SW 204th St. You can get more details including a map at: bit.ly/VISDtesting.

Feeling Sick: A Volunteer Does the Right Thing

One of the volunteers at the booster vaccination site tested positive with a rapid antigen test for COVID-19 this week. But everything has turned out fine, and big credit goes to the volunteer for doing the right thing. As soon as they experienced symptoms, the individual notified the site manager and remained at home. It seemed unlikely the person would be sick because they had COVID last year and had been fully vaccinated, including a booster. But one other volunteer who was potentially exposed left work at the booster site and went home as a precaution. PCR testing was arranged for the volunteer experiencing symptoms and, fortunately, the PCR test came back negative. The Medical Reserve Corps contact tracers have given an all-clear, emphasizing that it’s very important that everyone gets tested at any sign of symptoms.

Vashon Community COVID Statistics

• 234 = Total COVID cases for Vashon residents since the pandemic began

• 118 = New cases since early July when the Delta variant hit Vashon

• 7 = Patients hospitalized since the pandemic began

• 4 = Deaths since the pandemic began

• 89.5%? = Vashon residents (aged 12+) fully vaccinated (more than 95% have first shot)

Please, get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so. If you started and didn’t finish, please get the full benefit of your first shot by getting your second shot.

For more resources and information, visit VashonBePrepared.org. Sign up at tinyurl.com/4smk364m to receive email updates from the group, and/or find VashonBePrepared on Faceboook.