SAN ANTONIO – The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to children ages 5 to 11 years old beginning on Wednesday, Metro Health announced.
The vaccinations will take place at its Alamodome mass vaccination site and its vaccine pop-up clinics. The site is closed however for Veterans Day.
“Getting your child vaccinated means they are protected from serious illness or hospitalization. Having your child vaccinated reduces their risk of getting and spreading COVID while at school, and kids who are vaccinated can hug their grandparents again,” Metro Health Director Claude A. Jacob said.
A press release said parents are encouraged to reach out to their pediatricians’ offices as they will be the first essential site for COVID vaccinations and have been made a priority for distribution.
“As parents, we make decisions that impact our children’s future every day, and I know that vaccines are the most effective way to protect our children from life-threatening illnesses, such as COVID-19. I hope all parents will make the choice to get their child vaccinated,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in the press release.
Metro Health said they, along with the Department of State Health Services, will work with pediatricians’ offices to make sure they have the appropriate vaccine allocations and any technical support they might need.
“We know this is welcomed news for many parents,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. “They have been waiting for the FDA to approve vaccinations for children, and these kids, 5 to 11, will be protected from COVID. Now they have the opportunity to celebrate the holidays safely with their families, as well as with others who might not be vaccinated.”
The Food & Drug Administration gave the OK for the Pfizer vaccine for the children’s age group on Oct 29. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then made its official recommendation on Nov. 2.
The FDA said the Pfizer vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children, 5 to 11 years old. You can learn more about the vaccine by clicking here.
And for a list of vaccine locations, visit covid19.sanantonio.gov or call 311 and select option 8. The Alamodome drive-thru clinic is open from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
The COVID vaccines for children in the age group will also be offered at pharmacies and retail stores.