As the most contagious delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread in the weeks leading up to students returning to class, East Maine School Dist. 63 officials are organizing a vaccination clinic at Gemini College in Niles on Monday, August 9.

The clinic is open to all ages 12 and over and takes place between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at Gemini, 8955 Greenwood Ave., Niles. Entrance to the school for the vaccination event is through gate 12. The second injections are scheduled for Monday August 30th.

Although a portal via Dist. The 63 website can be used to schedule appointments to receive the vaccine, those who do not have an appointment are welcome to come in to receive a vaccine.

The clinic is organized in partnership with Jewel-Osco. Jewel-Osco pharmacists will administer the Pfizer vaccine.

East Maine School Dist. 63 Gemini College. (Photo provided)

The Pfizer vaccine is effective in preventing COVID infection from both the original alpha variants and the now widespread delta variants. There have been a small number of groundbreaking cases where fully vaccinated people have been infected with the delta variant. Those who were vaccinated had less severe symptoms than those who were infected with the delta variant who were not vaccinated.

“The available evidence suggests that the currently licensed COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) are highly effective against hospitalization and death for a variety of strains, including Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), and Delta (B.1.617.2); data suggests lower efficacy against confirmed infections and symptomatic illnesses caused by Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants compared to the ancestral strain and Alpha variant, “says the guide updated Tuesday, July 27 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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