Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years of age, Montgomery County is now vaccinating young people in this age group.
Vaccines are available at the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Vaccine also will be available at pharmacies, private physicians and retailers, such as CVS, Giant, Safeway and Walgreens.
There are an estimated 100,000 children who are ages 5 to 11 in the County.
County-operated clinics are offering pediatric vaccines on weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m. In addition, there will be school-based clinics on Saturdays and Sundays Appointments are required and can be made at www.GoVaxMoco.com.
“Having full approval to vaccinate kids from 5 to 11 is a game changer in our fight against COVID-19,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Our focus now will be to get shots in the arms of as many kids as possible in an equitable way. Our success over the last year has been grounded in making sure that we made the vaccine available to people in our most vulnerable communities and we will keep that same focus as we vaccinate our young children. Yesterday’s approval now gives us the ability to ensure that our communities and County are safer and keep our children in school and learning.”
County health officials have worked closely with the State regarding the limited initial pediatric vaccine supply. The County also partnered with the local private health care sector—including local hospitals, pediatricians and pharmacies. This will allow for greater capacity to administer vaccines, particularly once the number of pediatric doses that the County receives increases.
The County also is working to ensure vaccines are distributed equitably. Those efforts include hosting school-based clinics in areas where vaccination rates are lower and case counts are high.
The County will require appointments, initially, to ensure that there is enough vaccine at each site. MCPS is working with DHHS to help community members make appointments. Additional appointments will be posted on the County’s vaccination page at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/.
There are an estimated 100,000 children who are ages 5 to 11 in the County.
County-operated clinics are offering pediatric vaccines on weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m. In addition, there will be school-based clinics on Saturdays and Sundays Appointments are required and can be made at www.GoVaxMoco.com.
“Having full approval to vaccinate kids from 5 to 11 is a game changer in our fight against COVID-19,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Our focus now will be to get shots in the arms of as many kids as possible in an equitable way. Our success over the last year has been grounded in making sure that we made the vaccine available to people in our most vulnerable communities and we will keep that same focus as we vaccinate our young children. Yesterday’s approval now gives us the ability to ensure that our communities and County are safer and keep our children in school and learning.”
County health officials have worked closely with the State regarding the limited initial pediatric vaccine supply. The County also partnered with the local private health care sector—including local hospitals, pediatricians and pharmacies. This will allow for greater capacity to administer vaccines, particularly once the number of pediatric doses that the County receives increases.
The County also is working to ensure vaccines are distributed equitably. Those efforts include hosting school-based clinics in areas where vaccination rates are lower and case counts are high.
The County will require appointments, initially, to ensure that there is enough vaccine at each site. MCPS is working with DHHS to help community members make appointments. Additional appointments will be posted on the County’s vaccination page at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/.
