CPS Hosts Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

Special to The Record

Chelsea Public Schools, in conjunction with its partners Mass General Brigham, the Kraft Center for Community Health and the City of Chelsea, hosted a pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Mary C. Burke Elementary Complex on Saturday, November 20. More than 200 Chelsea community members arrived at the clinic to receive their first dose, many of whom lined up early outside the Elementary Complex beginning at 12:30.

The clinic was open to Chelsea residents from 1:00-5:00pm, where any resident could walk-up to receive a free vaccine, regardless of insurance or immigration status. The students were greeted by the mascots of their elementary schools as Berky the Bear (Berkowitz School), Oswald the Owl (Hooks School), Kelly the Dolphin (Kelly School) and Finn the Shark (Sokolowski School) cheered kids on who received their vaccine.

Children’s cartoon characters were on hand to greet the students who came to get a vaccine.
Veronica Dyer-Medina with her son, Rudy Medina
Parents and students wait in line for their vaccinations.

Afterwards, prizes were available for children to choose from along with gift cards for families. “It was so nice to see so many members of our community come out to our pediatric vaccination clinic,” commented Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta. “Schools are a familiar and trusted space and are ideal locations to help administer vaccines rapidly and efficiently. 

We created a fun environment for our kids to come to school, see their mascots, receive prizes and toys, and get their vaccine. Now that our elementary students can receive the vaccine, we want to encourage as many families as possible to get their kids vaccinated. It’s the best way to keep our schools safe.”“It was great to be able to partner with Chelsea Public Schools to offer a pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinic for Chelsea kids and families,”

City Manager Tom Ambrosino said. “From the City’s clinic at the Senior Center, to the mobile clinics offered by La Colaborativa and now these clinics at our schools, we want to make free COVID-19 vaccines readily available to as many Chelsea residents as possible.”
Parents and families of CPS were invited to bring their children, ages 5-11, to the clinic where they could receive the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. The mobile vaccination clinic from MGB and the Kraft Center administered first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids, which the CDC recommended for use in the beginning of November. 

A follow-up clinic will be held at the Elementary Complex on Saturday, Dec. 11, for those who attended last Saturday’s clinic to receive their second dose. Free COVID-19 vaccinations, including the regular vaccine (ages 12+), the pediatric vaccine (ages 5-11) and booster shots remain routinely available for Chelsea residents at the Chelsea Senior Center every weekend (Friday-Monday). Additionally, every Tuesday from 3:00-7:00pm, La Colaborativa will have the MGB Mobile Vaccination Clinic at their food distribution site on Sixth Street.

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