Chatham School District May Host Children's COVID Vaccination Site

CHATHAM, NJ — The School District of the Chathams is in preliminary discussions about possibly serving as a vaccination site for children, should the Pfizer vaccine be approved for ages 11 and under, according to the district’s superintendent.

Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa had some brief commentary during his superintendent’s report at the Board of Education meeting this past Monday night, on the potential of the district becoming a vaccination site.

He also provided statistics about the percentage of employees who are vaccinated, as well as an update on employee testing.

The local Department of Health recently contacted the district, LaSusa said, “if and when the Pfizer vaccine is approved for children between the ages of five and 11.”

“There’s some general thinking that schools may be very convenient locations, more convenient than a pediatrician’s office or a CVS or a pharmacy,” for vaccinations, he said.

“If school districts can stage a vaccination site it might help expedite the vaccination of students and parents who want to have their children vaccinated,” LaSusa also said. “We’re in preliminary discussions about that and it may be something we would do for the community if we are offered the opportunity.”

Board of Education President Jill Critchley Weber asked if the possible vaccination site would be open to children outside of the Chathams, since the local Departments of Health for Chatham Borough and Township service other nearby communities.

LaSusa said he wasn’t certain of that answer yet, but guessed if a vaccination center was opened within the district it, “could be open to other communities, just based on the offers we’ve had about vaccination and testing,” with many of the current programs offered to the Chathams already taking place at Westfield’s Department of Health, for example.

He said it was still “too soon to know of any of the details yet,” when Weber asked about possible hours of operation, responding that the potential center would operate "ideally outside of school hours."

LaSusa additionally reported that the school district has approached its third week of testing unvaccinated staff members. Over the summer ahead of Gov. Phil Murphy’s mandate with Executive Order 253, the district had committed to asking employees to regularly COVID test if they opted not to get vaccinated.

LaSusa said about 91 percent of the district employees have received their full course of COVID vaccines.

The nine percent of staff members who aren’t vaccinated must undergo weekly testing, LaSusa said, an option open as well to vaccinated staff members, who would like to be COVID-tested.

A state vendor contacted the School District of the Chathams this past Monday, LaSusa added, about providing on-site COVID testing resources for students. During the 2020-2021 school year, Atlantic Health was at Chatham Middle School every Friday, to provide COVID testing to parents who requested it.

“We’re looking to do something similar this year,” LaSusa said.

“This year, if anything, it may be even more important,” LaSusa added, “as quarantine times are shortened when a person has a negative test result.”

He said that it appears New Jersey is gravitating toward a “Test to Stay” model, where quarantining may differ, with daily negative tests potentially enabling people to still participate in school and activities.

Watch LaSusa’s Superintendent’s report for his full remarks in the video below:

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 1.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.