November 4, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week, the FDA and CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 years old. We’d like to provide you with current information and resources on vaccination. We encourage you to have your child vaccinated to protect themselves, your family, and our school community.

While COVID-19 is generally less serious for school-age children than for older adults, children can become infected, and some may get very sick or suffer serious complications. Children can spread COVID-19 to others. Fortunately, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for individuals ages 12 and up and is now recommended for children ages 5 to 11. The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective against infection, serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Over 70 percent of Massachusetts youth ages 12-17 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting your child vaccinated will help limit COVID-19 spread in our school and community, and it can help keep your child and their schoolmates in school.

Please speak to your child’s doctor about their plans to administer the vaccine and raise any questions or concerns you have about the vaccine and your child.

If you and your child's doctor decide to have your child vaccinated against COVID-19, please let Nurse D know by filling out the Student COVID Vaccine Report Form once your child has received all recommended doses of the COVID vaccine. This data will be used to determine when/if we have 80% of our community fully vaccinated to allow us to reevaluate our current COVID policies and protocols. Please feel free to contact Nurse D if you have any questions or concerns.

There are hundreds of vaccination sites across the state that have indicated their willingness to vaccinate children 5 to 11. Many accept walk-in appointments, including CVS and Walgreens pharmacies, Market Basket and other grocery chains, and community health centers. More information on these sites, as well as safety information and helpful questions and answers, are all available at www.mass.gov/covidvaccine.

As a reminder:

·     The COVID vaccine is free for all, and no ID or insurance is needed to be vaccinated;

·     You can get vaccinated even if you are undocumented. Getting a vaccine will not impact your or your family’s immigration status. The Public Charge rule does NOT apply to getting the vaccine.

Getting your family vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. We appreciate your help to keep all of our students, faculty, staff, and volunteers, as well as our community, safe and healthy this fall and all year long.

Margaret R. Cooke

Acting Commissioner

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Commissioner

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Peter Cohen, Ed.D

Head of School                                                                  

Lauren Donadio

MCCPS School Nurse