Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, September 21, 2021) – DC public school officials are joining forces with the Howard University College of Medicine to help inform city youth about the importance of getting vaccinated.
The partnership will have medical students serve as ambassadors to public school students ages 12 to17 and their parents to encourage the youth to “take the shot.”
From September 21-30 on Tuesdays and Thursday, Howard medical students will go to Brookland Middle School, Sousa Middle School, and Johnson Middle School. Additionally, from October 5-14, medical students will go to Columbia Heights Education Campus, Coolidge High School, and Eastern High School.
“Outreach and education are important ways to help individuals make informed decisions about vaccination,” said Hugh E. Mighty, MD, Dean of the College of Medicine. “We must continue to develop creative ways to protect our children and ensure that their educational environments are healthy and safe.”
On Wednesday, September 22, at 6:00 p.m., District students and families are invited to join a virtual Youth Vaccination Town Hall hosted by Howard University College of Medicine. At the event, Howard University College of Medicine students will share the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and answer attendee questions about the vaccine. Families will be able to join the town hall by visiting bit.ly/HUyouthvax.
“We know the many benefits of our young people getting vaccinated against COVID-19: the vaccine protects their health, it protects the health of their families and school communities, and it minimizes disruptions to learning by helping our students stay in school. But our work continues to ensure families know that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and necessary for our young people,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Mayor Bowser signed a Mayor’s Order requiring that, beginning November 1, 2021, students ages 12 and older in the District must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to participate in school-based extracurricular athletics.
The District continues to offer incentives for youth who get vaccinated. Students ages 12-17 can receive a $51 gift card or a free pair of AirPods by receiving their first shot at Brookland Middle School, Sousa Middle School, and Johnson Middle School. These sites operate Tuesday – Thursday, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. All DC youth can claim their free COVID-19 vaccine at these sites regardless of which school they attend. The gift cards and AirPods are available to District youth ages 12 to 17, as well as students ages 18 to 21 and currently enrolled in a DC school seeking a high school diploma.
In addition to these incentives, all vaccinated District youth ages 12-17 will be eligible to win a $25,000 college scholarship or an iPad with a pair of Beats headphones. Eight students will be selected as potential winners of a $25,000 scholarship through the establishment of a new 529 DC College Savings Plan account, and 32 students will be selected as potential winners of a new iPad and headphones.