Worcester Starts Coronavirus Vaccine Push For Kids

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester will begin offering Pfizer coronavirus vaccines to students the week of Nov. 8, and officials are reminding residents that booster shots are widely available.

The vaccine push comes ahead of the winter months, when virus spread is typically higher with more residents staying indoors. Cases have ticked up slightly in Massachusetts over the past week — the seven-day positive test rate was at 1.92 percent after having dropped to 1.67 percent on Oct. 26.

Worcester students over age 5 will be sent home with parental consent forms this week for the vaccine. The Pfizer version is so far the only vaccine approved for use in children between ages 5 and 11. A series of vaccine clinics will be held at schools throughout the city in November.

"The FDA has found that the vaccine is 90.7 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in this age group," City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said in a news release.

Worcester held two pediatric coronavirus vaccine clinics over the weekend at the Worcester Public Library and Centro Inc.

At the same time, there are clinics across the city for residents who need a coronavirus booster shot. Boosters are available for people over 65, people who work in long-term care facilities and those with underlying health conditions, among other conditions. Visit vaxfinder.mass.gov to find where to get a booster.