JOHNSTON – Rhode Island health officials said plans are in place to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to children under 12 years old this year, with a promise from the federal government that the shots would become available for the age group by the end of 2021.
But before then, the state plans to renew an order mandating mask-wearing in schools.
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R.I. Gov. Daniel J. McKee was joined by state public health officials, and a large group of high school athletes, during a weekly COVID-19 update held on Wednesday from the outdoor track at Johnston High School.
Tom McCarthy, executive director of Rhode Island’s COVID-19 Response Team, said he does not have any update on timing on federal approval for COVID-19 vaccines for those under 12. But he said the Department of Health is ready to operate clinics on school sites around the state to get shots into young arms as soon as possible.
“What we’ve been guaranteed is before the end of the year,” McCarthy said. “We have also seen the same reports that it’s potentially as soon as October. … We’re hopeful it’s sooner rather than later. And if it were approved tomorrow, we’d be prepared to run those school clinics and administer vaccine.”
In the meantime, McKee said he’s renewing an executive order for masking in schools before it expires this coming Saturday.
The point of holding the COVID-19 update at the high school track and soccer field was to promote the vaccine to Rhode Island youth.
McKee and McCarthy spoke about the success of the state’s prior on-site school vaccination clinics held for older students who are currently eligible for the COVID-19 shot, with 3,000 vaccinations administered so far this year.
And a player for Johnston High School’s softball team spoke about what it was like to miss so many sporting events and social activities like the homecoming dance as a result of COVID-19, and how taking the vaccine would help prevent further disruption during the formative years of so many student athletes.
“As a senior, I don’t want to miss one more game because of COVID,” said Emily Iannuccilli.
Statewide, 66.3% of all eligible people are fully vaccinated, while 77.2% of adults in Rhode Island are fully vaccinated, meaning Ocean State teenagers are less likely to be vaccinated than their teachers and other adults.
On Wednesday, the Department of Health reported 1 COVID-19 related death from the prior day, and 337 new cases.
McKee said Johnston is one of the communities he wants to see higher vaccination rates from, as the state tries to reach 90% vaccination of all eligible Rhode Islanders.
“That’ll keep everyone in Johnston even safer,” McKee said.
The most recent data shows from the Department of Health lists Johnston as having a rate of 61,269 people vaccinated per 100,000 eligible people, amounting to as 61.3% vaccinated.
McKee said he wanted to build on the state’s vaccination rate, which already makes Rhode Island one of four states in the country to reach that level of COVID-19 inoculation per capita.
The governor’s visit comes just after the Winsor Hill Elementary School in Johnston was closed on Tuesday when the school discovered that a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
As an incentive, McKee said the first 50 people in line for a pop-up clinic held on Wednesday afternoon in Johnston would get a $5 Dunkin Donuts gift card.
McKee said Rhode Island colleges and universities should be an example to the high schools and middle schools in the state, after the Ocean State’s schools of higher learning recently reached 94 percent vaccination among students.
“You can be an M.V.P. by getting a V-A-X,” McKee said. “We need everyone vaccinated to be a winning team.”
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.
