School-based strategies

School-based vaccination strategies

How schools can promote and support vaccinations:

Promote vaccine confidence among children, teens, parents, and guardians

Share materials and information from credible sources using established communication channels (social media, school website, newsletters)
Provide information on nearby vaccination sites and future school-based vaccine clinics

Prepare teachers and staff to answer questions around COVID-19 and the vaccine

Create internal workshops and share information during staff meetings
Encourage staff to share their own vaccination stories with students, parents, and guardians

Embed COVID-19 information and vaccine science into curriculum when appropriate

Encourage parents to become “ambassadors” and “liaisons”

Parent networks are a great way to disseminate information quickly
Ask parents to call fellow parents to promote vaccinations to keep the school community safe

Share information throughout the year

Vaccination communication should occur throughout the school year as new boosters and variants may continue to arise
Check with local health departments for vaccination incentives and inform parents/guardians

Ensure all communication is easy to read and is representative of your student population

Consider providing resources in the native language of students, parents, and guardians
Use plain language and avoid confusing medical terminology
Include diverse graphics and themes that are culturally relatable to your student body

Consider hosting a school-based vaccine clinic

Receiving a vaccination in a trusted and familiar site such as a school may help reduce hesitancy and can make it easier for students to access the vaccine
CDC has provided extensive guidelines, communication tools, and lessons learned to help set up school-based clinics in your community. Contact your local health department for partnerships.
Sign-up to host a mobile vaccination clinic in partnership with mass.gov

Hold clinics at times when it’s common for parents to be in attendance

Try to hold clinics during drop-off and pick-up times
Weekend clinics may be easier for some parents and children to attend together
Consider allowing all members of the students’ family to get vaccinated in the same visit

Provide vaccination consent forms for students to take home

Provide vaccination consent forms ahead of time to allow parents to review and understand their decision

Benefits of school-based vaccination sites:

Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD)

DPSCD launched COVID-19 informational webinars and vaccine clinics with the Detroit Health Department to increase access to vaccines in locations that students and families trusted
Mobile clinics were used at the school sites along with “Technology and Family Resource Hubs” where families could receive technical support and supplies to support virtual learning
School nurses called over 10,000 homes in the area to share information about the vaccine
The Teens for Vaccines campaign was launched to allow student ambassadors to share their story

Quebėc, Canada school-based vaccination sites

School-based vaccine clinic implemented in three dozen high schools in the community
Within the first 12 days, first dose coverage increased from 30.6% to 81.5%

School-based clinics are common for many routine vaccines and immunizations

HPV vaccines were offered at schools in Calgary, Canada—vaccination rates were 75% for those with access to a school clinic versus 36% for those without

Mobile vaccine clinics are better at reaching underserved populations

In partnership with local hospitals, Boston launched mobile vaccine clinics across communities
Over 3 months, the mobile units held 130 sessions and administered 2,622 COVID-19 vaccine doses to 1,982 participants (80% non-White, 57% Hispanic)
Administered an average of 152 vaccines per week