COVID-19 VACCINES
Where can kids in the US get the Covid-19 vaccine? Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS
Parents across the country are eager to get their children between 5 and 11 vaccinated. Here's our guide on where you can schedule your child an appointment.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine for use in children between the ages of five and eleven. For parents, teachers, and other adults who care for children, the news was taken as a positive milestone in the fight against covid-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, this age group has represented around thirty-eight percent of cases in those under eighteen. While very few children suffer from a severe case of the virus, they are still able to transmit it to more vulnerable populations. Now, that many youngsters will be able to get vaccinated, the risk of transmission should decrease.
The clinical trials submitted to the FDA found that the Pfizer vaccine was ninety-one percent effective in children between five and eleven. When making the announcement, the FDA reported that of the "approximately 3,100 children age 5 through 11 who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study."
Various pharmacies and stores have already begun to offer pediatric vaccines, but the availability varies by location.
Rite Aid
For those looking to see if a Rite Aid near them will offer pedantic covid-19 vaccines, please the list posted on the companies website. All locations do offer vaccines for children and teens between twelve and seventeen years old. Parents and guardians will be able to find a Rite Aid pharmacy near them offering vaccines through their online sign-up tool.
CVS
Like Rite Aid, some select CVS locations have begun to offer vaccines to younger children. CVS urges parents to sign up to vaccine their children saying that "Vaccination will help protect your whole family. Getting the vaccine will help keep your child from getting seriously sick if they do get COVID‐19 and help keep them from spreading COVID‐19 to others."
Parents can find a location offering pediatric vaccines through the CVS website.
Publix
In a statement received by Publix, the grocery and pharmacy chain stated that "pediatric vaccinations will be available at select in-store Publix Pharmacy locations on a walk-in basis or by appointment through the company’s online reservation system as vaccine doses arrive at each store."
Are vaccines for children between five and eleven different than those given to people +12?
Yes. The FDA reported that like adults, younger children will receive a two-dose regimen, "3 weeks apart, but is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms)."