COVID vaccine offered for kids

Beginning this week, the Lenowisco and Cumberland Plateau health districts are offering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

The Pfizer vaccine for this age group is a two-dose series in which the second dose is recommended to be given 21 days after the first dose. Two weeks after receiving the second dose, persons are considered to be fully vaccinated.

Benefits to being fully vaccinated include reducing the risk of disease, hospitalization and death, along with helping to protect friends, family and the community, the Virginia Department of Health notes.

“COVID has had quite a large impact on children, especially those that fall within the 5-11 year old age group,” said Allie Phillips, population health manager. “With such a large number of cases within this specific population, COVID-19 vaccines are a critical tool in helping to protect not only the children themselves, but also their friends, families, and other loved ones. Being able to have 5-11 year olds get vaccinated allows for these children to return to their normal lives which includes being able to stay in school safely and enjoy extracurricular activities.”

Ways to schedule a vaccine for children ages 5-11 include:

• School clinics. Parents may sign up their children for school clinics by going to https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/vdhapps/f?p=vasereg:vaccinationappointments. Links for each school district can be found on your local school’s websites/social media and your local health department’s website/social media.

• Health department clinics. Either call your local health department or visit https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/ and enter your ZIP code. This will allow you to find the specific vaccine days and times that are available.

You also can call your health department: Wise County/Norton, 276/328-8000; Dickenson County, 276/926-4979.

Parents may also contact their local healthcare provider or pharmacy to determine if the vaccine is available through these providers.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccination, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine. For specific local information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/lenowisco/ or www.vdh.virginia.gov/cumberland-plateau/.