Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School has been leading the way in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, from 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, the school will host a community vaccination clinic in partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Baltimore City Health Department for those ages 12 and up. This is the second vaccination clinic hosted by the school. In April the school hosted a vaccination clinic that inoculated 368 residents.
By hosting a community vaccination clinic open to those ages 12 and up, Henderson-Hopkins principal Peter Kannam says the school is addressing a critical need: "The COVID-19 vaccine is a critical step toward keeping our students, families, and community safe and moving us all forward to a better way of life. For our young people, receiving the COVID-19 vaccination means a more joyful and full school experience, more students in class, fewer disruptions to in-person learning, and the return of things students love like after-school programs and sports.
When asked about why opening a vaccine site in the school was so important, Kannam said, "Access to the vaccine has been a challenge for many of our families and neighbors. Registering for appointments has been complex and transportation to vaccination sites has been time-consuming. By having a vaccination clinic for those ages 12 and up in a school, we are making the COVID-19 vaccination easily accessible in a place our young people already know and trust."
All Baltimore City residents ages 12 and up are eligible to call 443-642-3562 to reserve an appointment. The school is also accepting walk-ups without advance registration. Those ages 12–17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The Pfizer vaccine is being offered. The second shot will occur on Tuesday, June 15, at the school. Henderson-Hopkins invites the public to help spread the word about this event.
About Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School serves 600 students in grades PK-8. Located in East Baltimore, in a beautiful 125,000 square foot building that opened in 2013, the school is a Baltimore City Public School operated by the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Henderson-Hopkins was the only public school in Baltimore City offering an in-person option for families on the first day of school this year. Today nearly 50% of the school's students are learning in-person, with the other half learning online. The school also launched a public grocery distribution program in March 2020 that has now distributed more than half a million pounds of groceries and more than 40,000 surgical masks to more than 24,000 residents. To learn more, visit the school's website.