Glen Vinson III gets a shot at Oxon Hill High School
Prince George's County is pushing to get 12-to-17-year-olds vaccinated in time for in-person learning.
The county lags a bit behind Maryland's average for vaccinations in that age group. Forty-three percent of 12-to-19-year-olds in Prince George's County have received at least one vaccine dose. The statewide average is more than 52% for that age group.
The county hopes mobile vaccine clinics sponsored by schools and the Prince George’s County Health Department will help. The first one was held Tuesday at Oxon Hill High School.
“It was simple; it was really fast,” said 14-year-old Glen Vinson III, who got a shot Tuesday. “I had to talk to my mom because I wanted to get my mind off it.”
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His mom, Naima Vinson, is vice principal at Oxon Hill High.
“We sent the information out to our school and just let them know this opportunity was here,” she said. “We want to make sure everyone was safe because we are going to be returning in person. It's exciting.”
“I feel happy now that I got it; I can be safe,” 15-year-old Dalalia Moore said.
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As a Maryland National Guardsman, her father’s been vaccinated and is happy his kids can join him.
“I'm feeling great about it because, you know, it gets this thing out of the way, you know, her actually getting sick, and I don't have to keep monitoring her,” Derrick Rich Sr. said.
With the schoolyear around the corner and plans for in-person learning, little brother summed it up best.
“I will say that I’m able to go places that I wasn't able to go before because of it, and I love the shot. It helps save lives,” Derrick Jr. said.
All kids who get vaccinated in Maryland are automatically eligible for the state’s weekly $50,000 scholarship lottery.
The Prince George’s County school system will be sponsoring mobile vaccinations throughout the county through July. The clinics are held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The remaining clinics will be held at the following dates and locations:
- Wednesday at Fairmont Heights High School, 6501 Columbia Park Road, Landover
- Thursday at William Wirt Middle School, 6200 Tuckerman St., Riverdale
- Friday at Surrattsville High School, 6101 Garden Drive, Clinton
- Monday, July 26, at DuVal High School, 9880 Good Luck Road, Lanham
- Tuesday, July 27, at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, 12650 Brooke Lane, Upper Marlboro
- Wednesday, July 28, at Charles Herbert Flowers High School, 10001 Ardwick Ardmore Road, Springdale
- Thursday, July 29, at Ernest E. Just Middle School, 1300 Campus Way N, Mitchellville
- Thursday, July 29, at Laurel High School, 8000 Cherry Lane, Laurel
- Friday, July 30, at Bowie High School, 15200 Annapolis Road, Bowie
- Friday, July 30, at High Point High School, 3601 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville
Parents and guardians are not required to be with their students. Students must take completed consent forms to be vaccinated, which are available on the PGCPS website.
