Hochul announces pop-up sites in push to get students vaccinated

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday morning a new push to get students vaccinated against COVID-19. She says the state is going to make it easy for parents to get it done.

Hochul was in Brooklyn as part of her #VaxToSchool campaign. She announced 120 pop-up vaccination sites over 12 weeks across the state to increase vaccinations among schoolkids.

"We know we need our kids back in the classroom, so they can make up for the lost year, and start feeling that sense of normalcy that was long denied our children," said Hochul.

The governor says they will target communities with low vaccination rates. Vans will be out in the community to serve as mobile vaccination sites.

She says we know the vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 12 to 17. Right now, they can only get the Pfizer vaccine.

Hochul says this is about protecting your children.

"It’s like putting your kids in a car on a busy highway with no seatbelt, a young inexperienced driver, and saying ‘Good luck, good luck, you’re out there. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine,’" said Hochul.

Hochul says about 50% of New Yorkers in that age group are vaccinated.

Her push comes as COVID cases among children are on the rise.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports last week the third-highest number of child cases in a week since the pandemic began.

Hochul says she wants to tackle this by making it voluntary.

Hear what she’s saying about any possible mandates down the road by watching the video of Emily De Vito’s story.

MORE INFORMATION: COVID-19 vaccines for School-Aged New Yorkers