As the number of COVID-19 infections slowed in the U.S., Tzu Chi volunteers resumed the Mobile Vision Clinic in school districts in El Monte, CA, where they prescribed new eyeglasses for students from disadvantaged families. The kids couldn’t wait to put on their new glasses, and laughed heartily behind their masks, now that they could see the world clearly again.

As of October 29, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 through 11, offering millions of children and families a way to help protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19 — while also supporting communities, and paving the way toward regaining a greater sense of normalcy. With this, Tzu Chi Medical Foundation (TCMF) immediately began contacting school districts in Southern California. Soon, Mountain View School District in El Monte, CA, joined Valle Lindo School District in South El Monte, CA, in administering the vaccine to parents and students at the Valle Lindo School District Office and Madrid Middle School. The community vaccination event took place on November 19 and November 20, and a total of 334 doses were given.