Vaccine Strategy During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: What School Nurses Need to Know

Abstract

The National Association of School Nurses supports immunization to reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. School nurses have the obligation to discern and understand vaccine strategies to aid in the advocacy and education of their school administrators, faculty, staff, students, and caregivers. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to all continents, and the total number of those infected or immune through effective vaccination is well below the estimated need for herd immunity. To achieve herd immunity against the global outbreak of COVID-19, the rapid development of safe and effective vaccines is essential. Using multiple strategies and vaccine platforms to speed up the vaccine development process will inherently save more lives. Equipped with this knowledge of vaccine strategy, the school nurse can more aptly advocate for the use of the COVID-19 vaccines to move toward herd immunity in their communities.