SAN ANTONIO – Almost 300 people with an “unknown age” have received their COVID-19 vaccine in Bexar County, according to Metro Health officials.
Metro Health Assistant Director Dr. Anita Kurian confirmed this Thursday during the city’s coronavirus briefing. The state announced a total of 278 people have been vaccinated without revealing their ages to health officials at the time of their vaccination.
Recommended Videos
Dr. Kurian added it’s likely some of the people with an “unknown age” that are receiving their vaccines could be under 16-years-old.
“It’s quite possible... We have seen providers administering vaccines to those that are under 16 years of age,” Dr. Kurian said during the briefing.
Those who receive the Pfizer vaccine must be 16-years-old or older, according to health officials. Those who receive the Moderna vaccine must be 18-years-old or older.
When registering for a vaccine appointment, people are always asked for their date of birth to verify their age. However, Dr. Kurian said it is not a requirement, at least at the Alamodome vaccination site. She said people can still register, even without revealing their age.
“We do make every effort to screen for those missing variables and age criteria on-site, but sometimes, it is possible that people might slip through in spite of the screening measures put in place,” Dr. Kurian said.
Although the current authorizations for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are not for those under the age of 16, Dr. Kurian said it will still be reported to the CDC if those authorizations are violated.
“When vaccines are administered outside of those emergency use authorization requirements, we do report it... goes straight to the CDC,” Dr. Kurian said.
As of Thursday, Metro Health reported 524,642 residents had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 294,158 residents are now fully vaccinated.
More on KSAT:
Coronavirus update San Antonio, April 1: Metro Health reports 249 new COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths