EBENEZER--As an integral part of St. Maarten’s community, Milton Peters College (MPC) and Sundial School will be organising a school vaccination drive in collaboration with the department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS).
CPS staff – a doctor, a nurse and an administrator – will be onsite at MPC on Thursday, September 30, and at Sundial School on Friday, October 1, to administer the first or second dose of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pfizer vaccine to students and staff.
“As there could be many parents in our community that do not have the possibility to take their child(ren) to receive the vaccination, we decided to help with making the vaccine available at our schools,” School Board for Secondary Education SVOBE management said in a press statement on Sunday.
Parents and guardians are to note that this is not mandatory. “Your child will not have to be vaccinated to attend school. Vaccination can and will only take place with your, the parent’s, consent,” management assured.
All students must submit a consent form signed by their parents to be vaccinated. A letter to all parents and the consent form will be sent to all parents today, Monday, September 20, via the schools’ communication platform SOMtoday.
The consent form must be handed in to the mentor or coordinator by Monday September 27. Hardcopies will also be available for pick-up at the coordinator or at the reception.
It is important that students walk with a form of photo identification (passport, ID, SZV card with picture) on the day of the school vaccination drive. If a student will be receiving their second vaccine, then they must also walk with their vaccination card.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not going anywhere any time soon. In order to guarantee continued face-to-face education, I encourage parents who have not yet had their children vaccinated to consider doing so. I am also encouraging other schools on the island to organise a school vaccination drive (at their school),” said SVOBE Schools general director Jacqueline Duggins-Horsford.
