Dallas ISD On The Ready To Vaccinate Students For COVID-19
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — One more step to go before it is official. Pfizer COVID vaccines could soon be administered to children as young as 12 in North Texas.
There was an endorsement from the FDA on Monday and now all that's left is for the CDC to sign off today.
As it waits, the Dallas Independent School District is taking it one step at a time to get the process just right.
Jennifer Finley, Dallas ISD Director of Health Services, said, "We've tried to arm our staff with as much valid resources and information about the vaccine as possible to kind of help families through that, navigate those waters."
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says shots will be available to kids as young as 12 beginning this Friday. But as early as next week, Dallas County is partnering with DISD to make way for students to get vaccinated -- of course, parental consent is required.
Buses will transport students who have the necessary permission forms to vaccine locations during school hours. The district says they want to do their best to accommodate parents who work and would not otherwise have the ability to get their child to the site.
Dr. Seth Kaplan, President of Texas Pediatric Society Local said the CDC's emergency authorization is right on target for the medical trends they're seeing. "We know that children over 10 are known to spread COVID as easily as other kids, so getting those eligible to be vaccinated immunized .. is extremely important to keeping schools open in person."
While administrators are hoping shots will soon be available, the DISD is not making COVID vaccinations mandatory for students.