City officials host COVID-19 vaccination clinic in South Philadelphia for educators, school staff

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- South Philadelphia High School was turned into a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for eligible teachers and staff within The School District of Philadelphia.

Organizers hoped to vaccinate 600 people during Thursday's event.

This initiative is part of the ongoing effort to safely return teachers and students to in-person learning.

Beginning Monday, March 8, 53 schools will welcome back pre-K through second-grade students whose families chose hybrid learning in the fall.

RELATED: Date announced for return of some Pre-K to 2nd grade Philadelphia students.

Less than one month after CHOP partnered with the city to launch this vaccination program, every school staffer who signed up will have received their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine.

"Everyone will have gotten their first shot by both this Saturday, but the following Saturday," said Dr. Ron Keren, chief medical officer at CHOP.

That's more than 35,000 school staffers and nursery school employees within the city, all vaccinated with the first Pfizer shot before mid-March.

"On Monday March 8 approximately 2,650 students will begin hybrid learning models," said Dr. William Hite, superintendent of The Philadelphia School District.

Each Following Monday, March 15, and March 22, approximately 50 additional Philadelphia district schools will reopen, serving pre-K through 2nd grades for hybrid learning.

Outside Philadelphia, PEMA will be distributing 94,600 initial shipments of the Johnson & Johnson doses to staffers who work with a specific group of children first.

Pennsylvania childcare workers out of school settings can be vaccinated at Rite Aid, TopCo, or Walmart.

State childcare worker vaccinations will begin March 10 through March 13 at undisclosed locations managed by PEMA. The state is not releasing the site locations as they do not allow walk-ins.