A typical high school cafeteria can act as a nexus point to catch up on the latest gossip, blow off steam from a difficult test or presentation, resolve issues between friends and classmates, or to just plain chow down.
But for almost hours on the scorching afternoon of Aug. 11, the commissary at Haddonfield Memorial High School played a bigger role with a significant purpose: as a center for vaccinations against the Delta variant of COVID-19.
Thanks to Cherry Hill based Adler’s Pharmacy, roughly 25 sit-down appointments were conducted with vaccines from both Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer.
“It was a couple weeks ago (when I spoke to Superintendent Chuck Klaus), and we wanted to involve the kids before they came back to school,” explained pharmacist Mark Adler. “Most of the kids here, over the summer, were turning from 11 to 12, and missed the previous vaccination deadline.”
Although targeted to the middle-school population, Adler noted the clinic existed to serve as many people who could show up as possible, given the recent surge from the Delta variant. He noted that the clinic was especially timely given it took place within the last 30 days before school begins, and in the wake of Gov. Phil Murphy’s Aug. 6 executive order to mandate indoor mask wearing for students, staff, administrators and visitors to all New Jersey schools.
Dr. Jennifer Naticchia, physician for the Haddonfield school district who has oversight on COVID policies, added the event was a natural followup to the district’s busing of middle-school students last spring to get vaccinations at the Burlington County mega site at Moorestown Mall.
Naticchia estimated the rate for high-school students was 80 percent, “which is awesome.”
Naticchia also stated she was unaware of any current pushback on district policy, as opposed to the strong, vocal stance last year of parents who wanted their children to be present in school as much as possible.
Effective two days prior to the vaccination event, masks will be required inside the premises of all Haddonfield School District buildings, with limited exceptions. They also will be required on school buses, regardless of vaccination status, but are not required when outdoors.
Those medically unable to wear a face covering will need a medical note from a licensed health-care provider to the school nurse for review/final approval by the district physician. Once such a note is submitted to the school nurse, the district will make a final determination within seven working days.
None of this has swayed Klaus and the district’s preparation for full-day in person instruction beginning Sept. 8. A further update and clarification on back-to-school protocols is likely to occur at the board of education’s open public meeting on Aug. 26.
“We’re trying to do everything that’s recommended by the CDC and the Department of Health, but also trying to be sensitive to everyone’s personal opinion and views, and trying to work with that,” said Regina Mango, school nurse at Haddon Elementary.
Mango added that she and other health personnel across the district want everyone to be fully vaccinated by the start of school, but it is a delicate balance trying to maintain health and wellness standards alongside other opinions and the reasons behind them.
The full newsletter can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/32c9nnn3. Included is a detailed breakdown of COVID safety protocols for the 2021-’22 academic year.
