Children ages 5 to 11 will be able to get a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Christian County Health Department, 1700 Canton St., beginning Wednesday, Nov. 17, local health officials said in a press release.
That announcement follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s formal recommendation approving the vaccine for young children.
The health department will reserve Wednesdays — from 7:45 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:15 p.m. — for administering the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be accepted, department spokeswoman Cloie Rager said in the release. Parents may schedule an appointment online.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two shots, and the second shot will be scheduled at the first appointment.
The health department will continue to offer the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All three vaccines are approved for ages 18 and older. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for ages 12 to 17.
In addition to the health department, some pharmacies administer Pfizer for children in the approved age group. Available vaccine appointments for the age group can be found by going to vaccines.gov and clicking on “Find COVID-19 Vaccines.”
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
