April 1, 2021
Dear Families,
Many of you are aware that Governor Lamont has made the COVID-19 vaccine available to those age 16 and up, starting April 1. Similar announcements are being made in other states, and we know that this is a relief to many of you. Loomis Chaffee has continued to work closely with the Windsor Department of Public Health to explore options for vaccinating our students. Very recently, it seems that there is some movement towards trying to arrange school-based clinics. We are hopeful that vaccine allocation will come in time for a clinic to be held on campus before the close of the school year, but we do not have a date or clear commitment yet from the town or the state. It is important to note that schools are not allocated the vaccine directly, and planning takes place in conjunction with our local Department of Public Health. Currently, students who are 18 years of age and older are able to receive any brand of vaccine while the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for adolescents ages 16–17.
Considering the above information, if a family chooses to secure individual vaccine appointments for a student, the school will support these efforts. The following risk reduction protocols will apply:
Parent/guardian or emergency contact person listed in Veracross/Magnus will transport student to and from appointment.
We understand that some students do not have a parent/guardian in the immediate area who is available to drive them to a vaccination appointment. For students that are 18 and over, a driver from the school may be available for appointments in the local Hartford area (within a 15-mile radius). Requests for this support should be made once an appointment is secured by contacting health_center@loomis.org. The school is unable to arrange appointments for students. Requests for overnight accommodations for vaccination appointments will be handled on a case-by-case basis and should be directed to the class dean.
A note regarding minors — it is important to be aware that obtaining medical care for minors can be difficult when a legal parent/guardian is not present. As the COVID-19 vaccination process is new, it is not clear if the consent forms that you have signed for the school will be accepted by various vaccination sites. Accordingly, the school is unable to bring minor students to off-campus vaccination sites at this time. This is one reason why an on-site clinic would be ideal for our population, and we will continue to pursue that possibility.
While we understand that not having a clear picture of the vaccination process can be concerning, the recent progress with allocation and access is very reassuring. We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the proper authorities to provide you with updates as they are available.
Thank you so much for your patience and continued partnership.
Mary Liscinsky COVID-19 Coordinator
Kendra Wiesel Health Center Director
The Loomis Chaffee School • 4 Batchelder Road • Windsor, CT 06095 • 860.687.6000
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