Long Beach is partnering with its education officials to get K-12 and college students vaccinated against COVID-19 before the fall school year begins, city officials announced.
The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is offering extended hours and more vaccination clinics at the Long Beach Unified School District, Cal State Long Beach and Long Beach City College.
“We strongly encourage all community members, especially students headed back to in-person learning, to protect themselves and help keep our city healthy by getting the vaccine,” Mayor Robert Garcia said Saturday.
The city’s vaccine clinics will now include Wednesdays and Thursdays at CSULB, Saturdays at LBCC’s Pacific Coast Campus and various mobile clinics at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus, where special incentives will be offered.
Vaccine clinics on the CSULB campus will be available from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting Aug. 11, near the campus bookstore located at 6049 E. Seventh St.
Vaccines are already being distributed at LBCC’s Pacific Coast Campus, Parking Lot 1, at the corner of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, the clinic will now be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays with greater vaccine and testing capabilities.
Additional mobile clinics are operating at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus, Parking Lot 1, at the corner of Carson Boulevard and Clark Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 10; and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23, Thursday, Aug. 26, Monday, Aug. 30, and Tuesday, Aug. 31.
Those who get vaccinated at a mobile clinic can enjoy a free scoop of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream afterward, courtesy of the health department. Additionally, any LBCC fall semester student who gets immunized before Aug. 30 is eligible for a $300 voucher at the LBCC Barnes & Noble Bookstore.
The city continues to host vaccine clinics at LBUSD schools and local parks Mondays through Saturdays each week in addition to the vaccines available at local pharmacies and from medical providers. Minors must have a signed consent form from a parent or guardian prior to vaccination.
Currently, just 48.5% of people ages 12 to 17 are vaccinated against COVID-19 in Long Beach, representing the age group with the lowest percentage of vaccinations among all eligible age groups, officials said.
“We need more parents and young people ages 12 to 17 to see that vaccinations are safe and the most effective way to prevent the spread of this deadly virus, especially with the more contagious Delta variant being so widespread,” City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said. “The Health Department is offering free vaccines at different neighborhood locations six days a week, so we’re making it easier than ever for families to protect themselves when school is back in session.”
Eligible students at LBUSD and LBCC are encouraged but not required to have the vaccine to return to the classroom; however, there is a mandate in place that requires CSULB students to be immunized against COVID-19 to access campus facilities.
For more information about Long Beach’s vaccination locations and hours of operation, visit longbeach.gov/vaxlb.
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