COVID Vaccines For Kids Under 5 Are Here. Here's How to Find One - KQED
Why should kids under 5 get the COVID vaccine?
The FDA's expert advisory panel voted unanimously that the benefits of these COVID vaccines outweigh any risks for children under 5 — that's roughly 18 million kids across the United States.
Dr. Peter Marks opened the panel's meeting with data showing what he termed a "quite troubling surge" in young children's hospitalizations during the omicron wave. Marks noted that 442 children under 4 have died during the pandemic, saying that while that number was far lower than deaths among adults, the data shouldn't be dismissed in considering the need for vaccinating the youngest kids.
Low vaccination rates among Californian children age over 5 have been of concern to doctors for months, with experts pointing to misinformation about COVID vaccines as one reason for low vaccine numbers.
Where can I find a COVID vaccine for kids under 5 when they're available?
The first appointments for vaccines for children under 5 will almost certainly become available at Bay Area pharmacies. This is because pharmacies take their guidance from the federal level.
Other vaccination sites in the Bay Area, like county-run locations, may have to wait a little longer, for the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to approve vaccines for kids under 5. Once this group of scientists approves the FDA and CDC's decision, these vaccines will be able to roll out far more widely across California (and Nevada, Oregon and Washington).
Remember that a certain location may only be offering a certain type of vaccine, whether that's Moderna, Pfizer or J&J. Make sure that the location you're walking into or where you're making an appointment offers the pediatric Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for this age group.
1. Find a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for kids under 5 through a local pharmacy.
Several pharmacy chains are offering online appointments for COVID vaccines, and some also offer walk-in vaccines with no appointment:
Bear in mind that not all pharmacies may offer these shots to all age groups right now. As of Saturday, Walgreens' COVID online vaccine scheduler says that "Patients must be age 3 or older to schedule or receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Walgreens," and advises families to "contact the patient's pediatrician for assistance or return to the scheduler at a later time." Rite Aid's website offers a similar message.
As of Saturday, CVS's website says the chain is "currently awaiting guidance" from the CDC about COVID vaccines for kids under 5, and recommends families "check back for details on availability."
2. Find a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for kids under 5 through your health care provider or pediatrician.
If you have health insurance, check with your provider or your child's pediatrician to see whether they can offer the COVID vaccine for a kid under 5.
If you don't have health insurance but get medical care through a city- or county-run provider, you can check with that location. Remember that it may take a little while for providers to start offering COVID vaccines for a children under 5.
3. Find a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for kids under 5 through My Turn.
My Turn is the state's tool that allows Californians to schedule vaccination appointments, as supplies allow. You can also try to find a walk-in appointment through My Turn.
Historically, it's taken a little while after CDC approval for vaccines to become available on My Turn. So if you don't see appointments yet, keep checking, or try a pharmacy first.
When appointments do become available, you can visit the My Turn page and select "Make an Appointment." My Turn will ask you for your information, and then for the ZIP code or location you'd like to use to search for vaccine appointments. You can give your home location, or you can input other locations to see which sites are available farther from your home.
If you can't travel with a child to a clinic for their vaccine because of health or transportation issues, you can note this when registering on My Turn, and representatives from the California Department of Public Health will call you to arrange an in-home visit or transportation.
If you don't have an email address or a cellphone number, or you have questions, you can call the California COVID-19 hotline at (833) 422-4255 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m PT) and sign up over the phone. English-speaking and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Callers needing information in other languages will be connected to a translation service that offers assistance in over 250 languages.
4. Find a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for kids under 5 through your county.
Visit your county's public health website to learn how your county is vaccinating its residents. Remember that it may take a little while for county-run vaccination sites to start offering COVID vaccines for kids under 5.
Find your Bay Area county in our list.
This story contains reporting from the Associated Press.
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