'I know it's a little scary doing something new': School nurse on youth vaccinations

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — As the nation awaits CDC approval of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for children five to 11, two Providence school nurses are praising weekly testing and precautions to keep cases at bay.

Zenobia Seyon is a school nurse at Southside Charter School in Providence.

"It's a great way to get ahead of the curve and prevent the spread of this disease," Seyon said.

Seyon and registered nurse Jessica Cournoyer said the school has gone between five and six weeks without any positive cases.

According to data from the Rhode Island Department of Health, the school has reported fewer than five cases total since the beginning of the year.

"It's a major, major relief," Seyon said. "I have two children at other schools and they don't do other testing so I have to get them to a site, get them tested, monitor the results and everything. This is definitely something I wish all the schools were doing in Rhode Island."

Rhode Island began its test-to-stay pilot program in Westerly in late October.

More than 600,000 children in Rhode Island and Massachusetts could become eligible for the lower-dose Pfizer vaccine this week.

RIDOH spokesperson Joseph Wendelken said the state has not yet received the initial shipment of 27,000 doses, which could cover about a third of first doses for the newly-eligible children.

Massachusetts is expected to receive 360,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine no later than Nov. 5.

"I know it's a little scary doing something new, but we don't know the long-term effects of coronavirus either and I’d rather take my chances with the vaccine than the virus," Cournoyer said.

Wendelken noted 55 pediatricians and family practices plan to administer shots. Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens will also vaccinate youth five to 11.

Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudderse said 289 health care providers with hundreds of locations in Massachusetts have so far indicated they plan to vaccinate kids.

Back at Southside Charter, Cournoyer said testing will remain, even after more students are vaccinated.

"Right now, they have the nurses bring [swabs] to Quonset, that's why I think a lot of schools have trouble doing it," Cournoyer said. "Luckily, we have a lot of help in this school."

Southside received a federal grant to bring in Seyon.

"I'll be getting my kid vaccinated," Seyon said.

The FDA has delayed its review of Moderna's vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds as federal regulators assess the risks of myocarditis.