(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – Following Federal and State approval, the Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) will provide no-cost Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 starting Thursday, November 4 at the community vaccine clinic at 223 S. Main.
As part of the vaccine administration, SCHD plans special hours at 223 S. Main tailored to 5 to 11 year olds and their parents on November 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Modifications at the clinic for young people include adding privacy dividers to vaccinator workstations and providing parent education and rewards for children.
“Vaccinating children 5-11 years old will help the community get closer to moving beyond this pandemic,” says Adrienne Byrne, SCHD Director, “but it’s important Vaccine Providers such as SCHD continue to vaccinate as many adults as possible to provide protection to the Sedgwick County community and those under 5 unable to be vaccinated.”
Other Vaccine Providers in Sedgwick County will provide the Pfizer vaccine. Contact your child’s medical provider or local clinic for availability. SCHD will provide Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric doses and doses for people 12 years and older to Vaccine Providers as doses are requested.
How to receive vaccine through SCHD
Appointments specifically for 5 to 11 year olds will be available by 5 p.m. on November 3 on the Sedgwick County website. To receive no-cost vaccine at the SCHD community vaccine clinic, schedule an appointment and complete a pre-registration form at www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid19vaccine. Bring your pre-registration form to the clinic. If you need assistance with scheduling an appointment, please contact the SCHD at 316-660-1029. Clinic hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A parent/guardian must provide consent for children under 18 to receive vaccine.
At this time, SCHD will not provide pediatric doses at mobile vaccine clinics.
About the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years old
The vaccine is administered as a two-dose primary series, three weeks apart. The dosage is lower (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years and older (30 micrograms).
The FDA authorization was based on effectiveness and safety evaluation of ongoing study data by independent experts. The data showed the vaccine was 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 to 11 years old. Side effects reported in the studies were similar to other vaccines and included sore arm, redness and swelling, tiredness, headache, and muscle and/or joint pain. Most side effects went away within one to two days. As with all other vaccines, a reporting system is in place to continually monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety.