Approximately 13,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered at seven clinics from Feb. 19 through March 3 hosted by the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) to vaccinate teachers and other K-12 school employees from all public, charter, and private schools in San Joaquin County.
The vaccination of school employees removes a significant barrier to schools as they seek to re-introduce or expand in-person instruction.
"This is a game-changer. We want all students and teachers back in the classroom, and this is a path toward that goal," San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools James Mousalimas said. "Vaccinating school employees doesn't just help protect students, teachers, custodians, office workers, and all other educational staff. It also protects the loved ones and families of our students and staff and benefits the wider community."
The vaccine clinics were possible through authorization from San Joaquin County Public Health Services (SJCPHS) for the SJCOE to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The SJCOE, school leaders from across the county, and SJCPHS coordinated to administer vaccine to school staff.
School staff members were invited to register for an appointment using information provided by their employers. The software developed by the SJCOE’s CodeStack department managed appointments and was used to create a paperless process that efficiently managed up to approximately 400 vaccinations per hour at its peak. The same system automatically scheduled appointments for second doses three weeks later.
School nurses, health aides, and other health care professionals from schools across the county administered vaccine and performed other medical functions at the clinics. First responders from local organizations were present as a precaution during post-vaccination observation. Along each step of the way through the vaccination process, dozens of SJCOE employees provided direction, information, and assistance.
"This is a vaccine clinic for educators that was operated by educators. We are all driven by a shared passion to do what is best for our students," said Jane Steinkamp, SJCOE Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and chairperson of the SJCOE Vaccination Distribution Task Force. "It has been inspiring to hear from so many educators eager to return safely to classrooms and get back to in-person learning."
Clinics for the administration of second doses are scheduled for:
Friday, March 12
Monday, March 15
Tuesday, March 16
Wednesday, March 17
Thursday, March 18
Friday, March 19
Wednesday, March 24