4 Henrico schools to make COVID-19 vaccinations available to students during school

Students at four Title 1 elementary schools in Henrico County will soon have the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at their schools, during the school day.

Parents are not required to be present, but they must give permission. Consent forms will be distributed in various languages, said HCPS Chief of Staff Beth Teigen as she announced the news at the Henrico School Board work session Thursday.

The clinics will take place at Laburnum Elementary, Dumbarton Elementary, Glen Lea Elementary and Ridge Elementary. Only students enrolled at these schools are able to participate, but school officials are planning more in-school clinics at other Title 1 schools for January and February, Teigen said.

The Pfizer vaccines will be administered by the Virginia Department of Health or one of its partner pharmacies.

The clinics, which are being hosted by HCPS in partnership with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts, will be held on Friday, Dec. 17  for first doses and again on Friday, Jan. 7 for second doses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the VDH recommend that eligible children get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible.

Just more than one-fourth of children ages 5-11 in Henrico County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the VDH vaccine dashboard.

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Anna Bryson is the Henrico Citizen's education reporter and a Report for America corps member. Make a tax-deductible donation to support her work, and RFA will match it dollar for dollar.