JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County Public Schools is partnering with the Florida Department of Health in Duval County to hold a day of vaccination events for children age 5 and older on Friday.
With students out of school, the Pfizer vaccine will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at these four locations:
- First Coast High School — 590 Duval Station Road 32218
- Riverside High School — 1200 McDuff Ave. S. 32205
- Springfield Middle School — 2034 Hubbard St. 32206
- Landmark Middle School — 101 Kernan Blvd. N. 32225
All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent to receive a vaccine. Parents can get a head start on preparation by downloading and completing a parent consent form. Consent forms will also be available at the event.
Parents were already lined up Friday morning at Riverside High School when the doors opened a little early.
Torree Lovett, the parent of DCPS student, was one of the first in line.
“Our whole household is vaccinated -- my husband, my brother-in-law and myself, and just want my kids to be safe. You know, we live in a world, we just don’t know. So I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Lovett said. “I was anxious. But I’m happy today that they are opening up for kids 5 to 11 He’s 10.”
Shirley Simmons said the clinics are opening right on time for her youngest child, who turn 5 years old Friday.
“We can go into town and, you know, get that taken care of because it’s important and we’re, we’re already into normal flu season. And with seasonal allergies and everything, let me just check another thing off my box,” said Simmons, who lives in Callahan.
The health department said anyone in the age-range of 5 to 11 can get their shot at one of these clinics, regardless of whether they live in the district.
“You know, some people are against it, some people for it, but to me, this is my seatbelt for COVID. It’s just a fighting chance,” Simmons said.
Manny Murphy, who has three students in DCPS schools, said he’ll be waiting a bit before diving in to having his children vaccinated.
“We just want to wait and find out and see, you know, the reactions and see what people are saying, after they get vaccinated before we go ahead and allow them to get vaccinated,” Murphy said. “We do not want them to be guinea pigs per se.”
The second vaccine dose will be available at these sites from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Another consent form will need to be completed.