EDITOR’S NOTE: As of November 13, the state-operated mass vaccination clinic at Crossgates Mall is offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday evening that effective immediately, all children ages 5-11 will be eligible to receive the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, meaning all state residents ages 5 and up can now be protected against COVID-19.
The announcement followed emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this week.
Parents who would like their children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or would like more information about the vaccine should contact their pediatrician.
Appointments can also be made at pharmacies and other locations across New York State. Visit vaccines.gov or text your zip code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.
It is important to note only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for children ages 5-11 and it requires two doses, three weeks apart.
Key Points
- Children ages 5-11 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine
- The Pfizer vaccine is administered in two doses, three weeks apart, but is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms)
- The vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5-11, according to the FDA
- The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children ages 5 through 11 who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study
- The vaccine is free
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