The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) supports vaccination against COVID-19. On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age. This vaccine, as well as others that received FDA EUA designation, provides an opportunity to put an end to this pandemic that has resulted in death, long-term ill health, economic hardship, loss of educational progress, mental health challenges, and more.
Vaccines cannot work unless there is widespread vaccine uptake in communities. As trusted health providers working directly in communities where families live, learn, play, work and worship, school nurses provide culturally relevant, factual education about the importance of vaccine uptake. NASN will continue to monitor vaccine development and EUA of additional vaccines and will provide updated information to the school nurse community and other stakeholders.