Fayette County Public Schools, the health department, and other organizations are partnering for a COVID-19 vaccination initiative leading up to the 2021-22 school year.
"I'm calling it a vaccination blitz," Fayette Health Commissioner Kraig Humbaugh told the school board Monday.
The campaign will aim to get shots into the arms of 12 to 17-year-olds before the fall. According to the latest data, only 18 percent of that age group has received the injections, compared to two-thirds of adults in Lexington.
Meanwhile, the department suggests keeping mitigation strategies in place for children too young to get the shot. While kids are known to weather COVID better than adults, Humbaugh said they can still serve as a reservoir for the virus.
"That's why we're recommending that during the summer sessions, children and staff and elementary and middle schools continue to wear face coverings and follow other precautions for this unvaccinated populations," the commissioner said.
As for the rules when students return this fall, those are still coming together. For now, school leaders and health officials are waiting on more information—including a possible lowering of the vaccination age, new Centers for Disease Control guidance, and more data on variants.
