Children between the ages of six months and five years can now get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave emergency-use approval for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on Friday, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed with its recommendation Saturday.
Now, nearly 20 million children are finally eligible to get their shot. The vaccine is free for all, but some pediatricians may charge a co-pay.
The Pfizer vaccine for young kids is given in three doses, the second three weeks after the first and the third dose at least two months after the second dose, while the Moderna vaccine is two doses, with the second given four weeks after the first. Both vaccines protect against severe disease, but preliminary results show Pfizer is more effective at preventing symptomatic infection.
Dr. Angela Myers, infectious diseases division director at Children’s Mercy Hospital, said in a press conference Tuesday that the differences between the two vaccines are negligible. She recommends parents get their child immunized with whichever vaccine their doctor has.
No matter which vaccine caregivers choose, Myers says getting your child vaccinated is crucial to preventing severe disease.
“We've had more than 2 million children under the age of five across our country have COVID-19 infection,” Myers said. “While this vaccine can't prevent all infections, it can prevent many infections and it can prevent severe infections, hospitalization, and death.”
The boost to a child’s immunity grows when they get vaccinated, even if the child has already had COVID-19.
“If you had a past infection and then you get vaccinated, you have better immunity than if you don't get vaccinated,” Myers said. “This virus has changed throughout the pandemic – it's continued to mutate. So getting that boost from the vaccine is pretty important.”
Parents and caregivers should first try to schedule a vaccine through their pediatrician. Vaccines will also be available at retail pharmacies and some hospitals.
Here’s a list of where and when younger children can get vaccinated in the Kansas City area. This may be updated with new information.Hospitals and health providers
Children’s Mercy Hospital
Children’s Mercy will offer the Pfizer vaccine at a series of clinics for young children. The first clinic will be Saturday, June 25, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at their Overland Park hospital location. The second will be Saturday, July 9, from 8 a.m.-2p.m. at the hospital’s Adele Hall Campus downtown.
Appointments are required for all clinics and walk-ins will not be accepted. To make an appointment, call the COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline at (816) 302-6300 or visit the MyChildrensMercy patient portal.
The University of Kansas Health System
The University of Kansas Health System will begin offering the vaccine this week. All shots will be handled through the three pediatric care locations within the health system. Parents can schedule an appointment at (913) 588-1227 or through their website.
The health system will not offer mass vaccination clinics for children.Area pharmacies
CVS
CVS MinuteClinic locations are now offering the Pfizer vaccine for children 18 months and older.
The pharmacy will not offer vaccines to children 17 months and younger. For those kids, contact a pediatrician. Appointments are available on a rolling basis as each MinuteClinic receives supply.
Walgreens
Walgreens will offer both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to children three years and older at select locations.
Appointments will be available starting Saturday, June 25. Schedule an appointment through the pharmacy’s website, the Walgreens app, or by calling 1-800-Walgreens.
Hy-Vee
Hy-vee will only offer the vaccine to children three years and older in the coming days, as soon as the pharmacy receives its vaccine supply. Once the pharmacies receive their doses, the pharmacy’s appointment scheduler will open for younger children.Local health departments
Both the Kansas and Missouri health departments pre-ordered vaccine doses. Once standing orders are updated and sent out to local health departments, vaccines will be available through those organizations as well.
Mass vaccination clinics and specific appointment information for each county and the Kansas City health department are yet to be announced.
