INDIANAPOLIS — Following final approval from the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) now offers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 at the existing District Health Office vaccine clinics and at the ACTION Health Center. Walk-ins are welcome, and those older than age 11 can still receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the clinics.
“The circulation of the Delta variant has made it more important than ever to protect our children with the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Virginia Caine, M.D., Director and Chief Medical Officer of MCPHD. “I am thrilled that this lifesaving protection will now be available for the 5-11-year-olds in our community. I encourage any hesitant parents to do their homework by reading about the vaccine and approval process from reputable sources like our local media partners, and talk to their pediatrician about the benefits and risks of the COVID vaccine for their child.”
The efficacy and safety of the vaccine for the 5-11 age group was studied in more than 2,000 children in 90 clinical trial sites in four countries (the U.S., Finland, Poland, and Spain). According to Pfizer-BioNtech, the vaccine was nearly 91% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 infection. For kids of this age group, the vaccine will be administered in a smaller, one-third dose. Side effects are reported to be similar to those seen in age groups 16 and older and can include fever, chills, tiredness, headache, or aching at the injection site. These are all normal signs that the body is building protection to the COVID virus and typically go away in 24-48 hours.
Vaccinations are available by appointment at OurShot.IN.gov.