Vernon Hosting Regional Vaccination Clinic For Childcare Workers

VERNON, CT — A coronavirus vaccination clinic for professional childcare providers who work in a licensed facility located in one of the towns served by the North Central District Health District is scheduled for late Friday afternoon.

The clinic will be staged in Vernon. The health district’s member towns are Vernon, Enfield, Ellington, East Windsor, Windsor Locks, Suffield, Windham and Stafford.

Childcare providers in Somers are also eligible for the vaccinations.

The clinic is by appointment only and no walk-ups will be accepted, officials said. Friday's clinic is open only to people who work for licensed childcare facilities located in a North Central District Health Department town.

To register for the clinic, professional childcare providers can call the Vernon Regional Call Center at 860-896-4568. Those securing an appointment will be informed where the clinic is located.

People seeking vaccinations must be prepared to prove they are professional childcare providers by bringing a work ID or a pay stub from a childcare provider, officials said. Employment may also be verified through the local tax collector office.

"Safe childcare is essential for working families, especially as the economy continues to pick up speed," Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne said. "It's imperative that we provide protection against COVID-19 to licensed childcare providers."

Under current state guidelines, professional childcare workers can be vaccinated and the governor directed that vaccination clinics be conducted specifically for childcare professionals.

"Just as we conducted clinics for school staff, we are now reaching out to professional childcare providers,"said Patrice Sulik, Director of Health. "We have doses allocated to serve this important component of our community and I urge providers to contact the call center."