San Francisco Opening Four New Vaccination Sites at SFUSD Schools
Mayor London N. Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) announced that vaccination sites are launching this week at four schools in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) in order to further support vaccination among eligible individuals in schools and the surrounding community.
The vaccination sites—located at Malcolm X Academy School in the Bayview; Balboa High School in the Excelsior; McCoppin Elementary School in the Inner Richmond; and Sunset Elementary School in the Outer Sunset—will initially administer doses once a week at each site, with several sites open on evenings and weekends to support working families. While these vaccination sites will prioritize staff and families with children at SFUSD, they will also serve the general community. Walk-ins are welcome, and documentation of identity is not required.
“We know that most cases of COVID-19 occurring in schools come from children who pick the virus up from their household or exposure outside school settings,” said Mayor Breed. “We’re continuing to provide support to SFUSD to make it as easy as possible for everyone involved in the school community to get vaccinated. That’s the best way we can protect keep our students, educators, and staff safe, especially our children under 12 who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.”
Last week, SFDPH released data showing that pediatric cases have remained low and stable among children, and that schools are safe settings for children when the proper protocols are followed. San Francisco has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world with 81% of the eligible population fully vaccinated. An estimated 90% of children ages 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated.
“Our vaccination rates are high but we have more work to do to close the remaining gap. Our priority remains in protecting our most vulnerable populations – these include children under 12 years old who have started the school year unvaccinated,” said Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax. “Through our guidance, we have many safeguards in place to support schools, and vaccinating the school community is a critical part of our efforts.”
Funding and staffing for the vaccination sites will be provided by SFDPH and the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, with the locations for the sites being provided by SFUSD. SFUSD has supported vaccination efforts throughout the pandemic, having partnered with pharmacies and SFDPH to host vaccination clinics at Burton High School and Willie Brown Middle School, and shared vaccination opportunities with the school district community. SFUSD employees are required to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.
“We are extremely encouraged to see such high rates of vaccination among our staff and students, and continue to explore ways to expand access to vaccines,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews. “Offering the vaccine at our school sites will ensure that those who are not yet vaccinated have the opportunity to do so in safe, accessible, and welcoming spaces.”
Each of the four school sites has the initial capacity to administer 62 doses each day and is prepared to expand to up to 200 a day, as needed. COVID-19 vaccines are currently FDA-approved for people 12 years and older. Details are as follows:
Malcolm X Academy School
350 Harbor Road in the Bayview
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm on Tuesdays starting 9/14Balboa High School
1000 Cayuga Ave in the Excelsior
2:30 pm – 5:30 pm on Wednesdays starting 9/15McCoppin Elementary School
651 6th Ave in the Richmond
10:30 am – 1:30 pm on Saturdays starting 9/18Sunset Elementary School
1920 41st Ave in the Sunset
10:30 am – 1:30 pm on Sundays starting 9/19
Please visit SF.GOV/getvaccinated for a complete list of vaccination sites as well as days and hours of operation. People are encouraged to first seek vaccination through their health care provider, if they have one.
Read more at the Office of the Mayor.
