March 21, 2021
Dear WRA Parents and Students,
It is my sincere hope that you are finding time during this Spring Break to restore in a way that is meaningful to you. Today I share this message that may be of interest to all community members but does have specific information that is very important for students who are 16 years of age or older and their parents.
As you may have seen in recent news, Governor Mike DeWine announced that, on March 29, anyone over 16 years of age will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine. This is incredibly exciting news as we continue to make progress in slowing and stopping the spread of the virus.
In our continued efforts to keep our community as safe as possible and to return to a more "normal" feel on campus, WRA strongly encourages vaccination. We suggest that you learn more about the vaccine and consider receiving your first dose at your earliest convenience. As always, our medical professionals in the Health Center are prepared to answer any questions that you may have and can be reached at healthcenter@wra.net.
Following is information that will be helpful to you in obtaining your vaccine:
For day students and their families, information on registering for a vaccine can be found on the Ohio website at https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/. Beginning on March 29, you will be able to search for locations near you and available appointment times during which you can schedule your first dose. Please note that you may want to pre-register at multiple locations in order to increase your chances of obtaining the earliest appointment possible.
For boarding students and their families, we have worked with other area boarding schools to coordinate a group vaccination clinic. We have secured a date for any boarding student over the age of 16, regardless of permanent residency address, who, with the permission of their parent, wishes to receive the vaccine. The first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be administered by Giant Eagle Pharmacy on Friday, April 16, at the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio in Independence, OH. WRA will coordinate the logistics for any student who will be receiving the vaccine on this date.
Please understand that, due to the guidelines set by the external program administrator, which requires participants in this clinic to be currently in a congregate living environment, the group vaccination is only available to boarding students.
For those eligible boarding students, parents must complete this initial interest survey by NOON on MONDAY, MARCH 22 indicating whether or not you wish for your child to be vaccinated. Only those eligible students who express interest by this deadline will be registered for this program. I understand that this is a quick turnaround time and I appreciate your prompt response.
More information about the clinic will be provided closer to the vaccination date to anyone who is registered. Should you have any questions, please contact the Health Center at healthcenter@wra.net.
Sending wishes of progress and optimism, Mrs. Suzanne Walker Buck Head of School Western Reserve Academy
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