Tears were common at a recent COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Martin Elementary School, but so were smiles, as parents sought to protect their children from the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
“It’s been fantastic,” said school nurse Kai Angelot, who was administering vaccines at the clinic. “I believe we had 228 doses given out yesterday [January 13], and hopefully we’ll get the same today and tomorrow.”
Angelot joined South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year right after finishing nursing school.
She said she felt honored to be able to help out during the pandemic in this way.
“In the hospital nurses are working with patients who are in there maybe at their worst time, so we’re going to see them in a really acute state, where they really need our support to get back home,” said Angelot. “Here at school we get to support kids in maintaining their health. We get to teach them about their health. We get to empower them to take care of themselves and help maintain their safety all day long at school, which is fantastic. I love it.”
The vaccine clinic was a collaboration between South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD), the San Mateo County Health Department, and the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE).
While primarily geared toward children between 5 and 11 years of age, booster shots were also being offered to anyone older than 12.
“It’s really exciting to get to vaccinate some kids,” said Angelot, “and they’re all over the spectrum of being really ready and excited for their shot to being really anxious and scared, and so it’s great to be able to soothe them a little bit and get them out the door with their first or second dose of their vaccine.”
As a school nurse at SSFUSD, Angelot travels between eight campuses and does everything from consulting with principals and teachers on COVID-19 to providing daily care to students with medical needs and supporting special education classrooms.
“I grew up in Pacifica, and I love it here in South City. I’ve fallen in love with this community, and it’s a really great place to be.”
However, she also admitted that her perspective is a bit unique.
“I was never a school nurse pre-pandemic, so I don’t know what the school nursing position looked like before COVID,” said Angelot. “Responding to the pandemic and outbreaks is a big part of what we do now.”
The vaccine clinic at Martin Elementary will return February 3-5.