SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Students across the San Diego Unified School Disrict will start to notice a different kind of bus pulling up to their campuses — one filled with UC San Diego medical professionals ready to give them their COVID-19 vaccines.
"We're facing the winter holidays, public health experts are concerend about a winter surge," said Richard Barrera, school board president, adding the district is doing everything it can to encourage families to get vaccinated.
On Friday, the bus will spend the day outside district headquarters before going to a different school each day next week.
San Diego Unified will require students 16 and older to have their second COVID shot by Dec. 20 if they want to continue learning in person. That's why the bus is starting at high schools in communities with lower rates of vaccination. Next week, it will visit Morse, Bell, Crawford, Man and San Diego High Schools, respectively (click here for hours)
"It's our responsibility as a school district to provide not only quality information but access and availability to our students, our staff, our families and the community," Barrera said.
While the bus will be parked at schools, the shots are available to anyone eligible in the community. Students under 18 at the host schools need a signed permission slip from their parent or guardian in order to get the vaccine without their presence. Community members under 18 need a parent or guardian with them to get the vaccination.