May 13, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP (MERCER)– In a collaborative effort, Hamilton Township, the Hamilton Township School District (HTSD) and Olden Pharmacy will be hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for students ages 12+ on Monday, May 17, 2021 at Crockett Middle School by appointment only.

It was announced this week that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Pfizer vaccine be made available to administer to children ages 12-15 years. Prior to this decision, the Pfizer vaccine was only approved for individuals age 16 and above.

In a formal statement, the CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said, “For vaccination to do its job, we must do our critical part. That means vaccinating as many people as possible who are eligible. This official CDC action opens vaccination to approximately 17 million adolescents in the United States and strengthens our nation’s efforts to protect even more people from the effects of COVID-19. Getting adolescents vaccinated means their faster return to social activities and can provide parents and caregivers peace of mind knowing their family is protected.”

Any parent or guardian seeking an appointment for their child at Monday’s clinic which will be held between the hours of 2 and 6 PM may register for an appointment with Olden Pharmacy directly via their website at www.oldenpharmacy.com/hamilton.

“We are excited to provide the COVID vaccine in one of our district schools to all of our students from the age of twelve years old and up,” stated HTSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Rocco. “This is the result of a tremendous amount of teamwork between the township, Olden Pharmacy, and our school district. In particular, I would like to thank Marta Audino, our Director of Student Services, who has spearheaded our COVID response this year, and Chris Hellwig of the Hamilton Township Health Department, who has worked closely with us throughout the pandemic. Providing vaccines to our students, now that the vast majority of our faculty and staff are vaccinated, provides another level of protection for our students, faculty, and staff.”

Hamilton Township Division of Health reminds residents that all three available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective and continues to encourage all individuals age 12 and older to get vaccinated. Those seeking vaccination may contact the Division of Health by telephone at (609) 890-3884 or (609) 890-3647 or email covidvaccine@hamiltonnj.com.

“I want to thank Olden Pharmacy and HTSD for their outstanding partnership in bringing vaccine to our area students”, said Mayor Martin. “The more people we can vaccinate, the safer it is for everyone. This is just one more step towards the normalcy we all crave.”

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