Demand High At Middle School Vaccination Clinic

“In a year of ups and downs, it was about the highest up that I experienced.” That was how Superintendent Michael Morris described a COVID vaccine clinic for students, held in the parking lot of the Amherst Regional Middle School May 14.

One day after approval was granted for use of the Pfizer vaccine in children aged 12 to 15 years, the regional school district sent an email to families to sign up for a vaccine appointment and within ten minutes, all 160 slots were booked. According to comments made by Morris to the Regional School Committee on May 18, Amherst was the only school district in the state to offer such a clinic last week, just two days after Pfizer’s vaccine approval.

The clinic began with a dedicated time for students aged 12+ with intensive special needs, allowing for a quieter environment, which was crucial for those that needed it, according to Morris. Being surrounded by peers helped motivate the most reluctant students, with some parents telling Morris that their child “had never been this brave getting a shot.”

The next group was students using busses to get to and from school, since limited transportation options have been identified as a barrier to vaccination. The remaining shots were given to any students who had reserved a slot. In all, Morris reported that 176 students aged 12-15 years were vaccinated at the clinic, which was staffed by community volunteers alongside school staff and the Amherst Health Department. “It was really wonderful and felt a little raucous-party-like,” he said. 

Parent Jennifer Page, whose sixth grader got her first vaccine at the clinic, said it was very efficient and well-run and everyone was super-friendly and professional. “My 12-year-old was nervous about getting a shot, but in the end she said she barely felt it,” Page said.

With demand far exceeding supply, the district arranged with the Town to set up a walk-in clinic at the Bangs Center in downtown Amherst later Friday, where a long line had formed by 3pm. Morris reported a further 40 students were able to get their first shot there.

In response to a question from Leverett representative Gene Stamell on what percentage of students the district hopes will be vaccinated by the fall, Morris said the goal is 100%, although he acknowledged there are a small number of students who cannot get the vaccine for medical reasons. “There is sufficient vaccine supply for anyone aged 12+ to get it by the end of June,” Morris said. “We’re trying to remove barriers that would limit students from getting vaccinated.” 

In an effort to assuage the concerns of some families reluctant to get the vaccine, the district held a virtual Town Hall event on May 19 featuring a number of local medical professionals who have children in the Amherst schools. The clinicians presented data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and answered questions from the community. 

For the 12-15 year olds who availed themselves of the clinics last Friday, a second-dose clinic has been scheduled for June 4. A separate second-dose clinic has been scheduled for May 28 for the students aged 16+ who were vaccinated at the high school earlier this month.