On Sunday, April 25, nearly 400 Choate students boarded eight buses from the School’s Worthington Johnson Athletic Center and rode to the Pratt and Whitney Airfield in East Hartford, where they received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
For many students, receiving a free vaccination brought great relief amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and many expressed how strange it felt to leave campus for the first time in weeks.
Of the three Covid-19 vaccines that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized for emergency use, Pfizer is the only one approved for young adults sixteen years old or older. Individuals receive two shots three weeks apart. Some of the students who traveled to East Hartford were receiving their second dose, but many will need to return on May 16.
Although Nathan Nicholas ’23 was anxious that morning, he was happy that he could finally receive a vaccine. “I was very nervous about the shot itself,” he said. “What was exciting was the hour I spent on the bus, which was the longest car ride I’ve had in the last six weeks. Social distancing came in handy, as I had two seats to myself.”
Kenadi Waymire ’22, whose family lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was also excited to receive the vaccine. “Getting it in Indiana would be a pain, so knowing that I’d finally be covered was very relieving,” she said.
Students reported that the day went smoothly, and they credited the careful planning of Dr. Miriam Cohen, Choate’s Medical Director, and Ms. Libby Peard, the School’s Director of Health and Wellness Services. “Moving 400 students to a vaccine clinic was a major team effort. Ms. Cullinan made arrangements with B and B Transportation for 8 buses to be available throughout the day on Sunday. Fourteen remarkably dedicated faculty and staff members stepped up as chaperones, some for multiple trips to East Hartford. We had a few bumps that resulted in delays at the clinic, but each successive trip was easier,” said Ms.Peard.
Fourth-form Dean Dr. Katie Jewett was one of 14 teachers who chaperoned the trip. “We showed up at a site with several busloads of people,” she said. “The National Guard members who were there were incredibly effective and organized, which allowed for a very streamlined process.” Dr. Jewett was also impressed by the patience and politeness of the students, a group that totaled 396 people.
Many hope that the first round of vaccinations marks a step toward a return to normalcy on campus. Dr. Cohen said, “The more people we can get immunized, the more control we have over the pandemic and the development of variants—and then, ultimately, the more we can safely do on campus together.”
Students have expressed their gratitude to the School for providing free vaccinations. Nicholas, who is from Switzerland, said, “I am very happy that the logistics worked out for all Choate students to be offered the vaccine. As an international student from a country where I would not normally be eligible for a vaccine, this was an especially hopeful moment.”
