COVID-19 Update: Vaccines for Kids Under 5 Now Available

With pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old approved by the CDC, the vaccines will be widely available across L.A. County starting today, June 22.
 
The CDC approved the Pfizer-BioNTech’s three-dose vaccine for children age 6 months through 4 years, and Moderna’s two-dose vaccines for children age 6 months through age 5.
 
The safety and effectiveness of these vaccines have been reviewed extensively by scientists at both the FDA and CDC.
 
While children are typically at lower risk than adults of getting severely ill or even dying from COVID-19, bad outcomes are a very real possibility. Many children only get mild sickness from COVID-19, but unvaccinated children are at a higher risk of getting very sick and experiencing the worst outcomes of COVID-19.
 
Unvaccinated children are also at risk of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Over the past three months, unvaccinated children ages 12-17 in L.A. County were nearly four times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated children in the same age group. Additionally, 65% of vaccine-eligible children with confirmed cases of MIS-C in L.A. County, were unvaccinated, and this included children under the age of 4.
 
Vaccination also helps protect an entire household and community. Young children can pass COVID-19 to other siblings or high-risk family members such as grandparents.

Across the county, more than 900 vaccination sites are scheduled to offer the vaccines to these youngest children including more than 500 mobile sites, 200 pharmacies and seven Public Health Points of Dispensing (PODs). Because some of the pharmacy sites are only licensed to vaccinate children age 3 and older, parents are encouraged to reach out ahead of time to verify hours and availability. 
 
Parents can make an appointment at VaccinateLACounty.com or MyTurn.CA.gov.
 
For those who have any questions about vaccine safety and effectiveness, please reach out to your pediatrician or clinician or speak with an L.A. County Department of Public Health staff member at the COVID-19 call center, 1-833-540-0473 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. seven days a week.