Vernon Stages Vaccination Clinic For Students

VERNON, CT — Vernon's coronavirus vaccination efforts Thursday turned to Rockville High School students and others in the area who are 16 and older.

A total of 101 students who had permission from their parents or guardians signed up to receive the first round of the Pfizer vaccination during the clinic in the RHS auditorium.

One of them was RHS sophomore Bella Schauster. She said the inspiration for getting the vaccine is a family trip to Florida later this year.

Local students from Cheney Tech and East Catholic also attended the clinic.

Thursday's clinic is the town of Vernon’s first with the Pfizer vaccine. Officials at the clinic said it's a different process than the Moderna vaccine because the Pfizer vaccine needs to be thawed, then diluted before

Vernon has scheduled a public clinic with the Pfizer vaccine for April 29 at the Vernon Senior Center, where all people 16 and older can be vaccinated.

The students who received their first shot Thursday are slated for their second dose on May 13, officials said.

The clinic is part of the ongoing vaccination tour sponsored by the town of Vernon and Ellington-based Priority Urgent Care. The clinic had about 1,000 Pfizer shots in hand prior to Thursday's clinic. Eastern Connecticut Health Network has agreed to house the unused does in its cold storage units nearby.