The COVID-19 vaccine was developed and administered to millions of Americans in record time and continues to help prevent severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. Although over 70 percent of adults nationally have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, only 39 percent of children ages 5 to 11 have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Recognizing the key role that schools, school nurses (SNs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) played in the pandemic response and promotion of health equity among children, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), with generous funding from Kaiser Permanente (KP) developed, and implemented the Champions for School Health (CSH) grant initiative. This project funded SNs, and CBOs that are working to increase pediatric vaccine access, and confidence among underserved populations in KP’s footprint: California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
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