Cedar Rapids and Iowa City High Schools to Offer Pfizer Vaccine

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that beginning this month, high schools in both Cedar Rapids and Iowa City will begin offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to students 16 years of age and older.

The Cedar Rapids school district will hold their first vaccine clinic coming up this Wednesday and Thursday for students at Kennedy, Jefferson, Washington, and Metro high schools, according to the Gazette. The second dose of the vaccine would be offered on June 2nd and June 3rd.

The Gazette reports that the Iowa City Community school district held its first vaccine clinic for students on Friday. Vaccines were offered to students at City, Liberty, Tate, and West high schools. In both districts, students who want the vaccine have to have a consent card signed by a parent of legal guardian. The timing of the shots will ensure that all student who want both shots, will have them before then end of the current school year.

Pfizer is currently the only COVID vaccine that has been approved for use in 16 and 17year old students, according to the Gazette. They are also anticipating approval from the FDA to soon be able to use the vaccine on children as young as 12 years old.  Moderna is currently testing the use of it's vaccine of 12 to 17 year olds. Results are expected by later this summer.

The Gazette reports that the latest available data shows that there were currently six students in the Cedar Rapids district that were positive for COVID-19, with 10 more in quarantine. Iowa City schools reported 63 presumed or confirmed positive tests for COVID-19.