Pop-up vaccination sites in NYC target 5-11 year olds

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City's push to get younger school-age children vaccinated amid concern over the rapidly spreading BA-2 Omicron subvariant continues.

PS 200 in Bath Beach, Brooklyn is one of the schools where we expect a vaccine clinic to pop up Wednesday morning for 5-11 year olds.

Those mobile clinics, like another one outside a Brooklyn school in December are intended specifically for students who need their first doses.

Just 35% of New York City children ages 5-11 are fully vaccinated, and this is a way to make getting those shots easy for parents.

It comes at a time when the mayor is poised to drop school mask mandates for all age groups, including 2-4 year olds, by April 4 if COVID case counts remain low.

Mayor Eric Adams announced that if COVID numbers continue to stay low, masks will be optional for kids ages 2-4 in day care and school.

"I have two. I have kindergarten and pre-k," said parent Alice Bayizian. "They don't want to wear their masks, but we're still scared that, you know... that they could get sick and spread the disease. So I'm kind of torn."

"We getting a large number of parents that are saying, 'Please, don't take the mask off the children in school,'" said NYC Mayor Eric Adams. "We get a large number that are saying, 'Please take the mask off.' So the only way you do it right now is to follow the science and follow the numbers. That is what we're doing."

Mobile vaccine clinics are going to 20 different schools over the next two weeks, but the city has not put out a list where they will be.

Instead, city officials say, principals will reach out to parents directly.

ALSO READ: BA-2 subvariant of Omicron COVID-19 strand makes up 1/3 of new cases

About one-third of new COVID-19 cases are the new BA-2 subvariant which has been described as more transmissible

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

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