COVID-19 vaccines now available to Oklahoma kids over 6 months old. Here’s what to know

Kids as young as 6 months old can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The first doses for the newest age group started being given Thursday in Oklahoma, and more doses are on the way to the state, according to the state Health Department.

We spoke to Dr. Donna Tyungu, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with OU Health — and a mom to a 3-year-old herself — to answer questions families may have about the vaccine.

More: As an even more contagious omicron subvariant spreads, Oklahoma's COVID-19 cases are rising

Who’s eligible now?

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a panel’s endorsement of COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months on Saturday, and the doses have rolled out across the U.S. this week.

The CDC now recommends all children 6 months and older be vaccinated against COVID-19, even if they’ve already had the virus. Everyone 5 and older is recommended to get a COVID-19 booster, too.

The CDC has a guide to help you determine when it’s time for you or your child to get boosted.

Children in the youngest age group can receive either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

What are the differences between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young children?

Both vaccines are safe and effective against COVID-19, especially in reducing the chance of hospitalization or death, Tyungu said.

The differences lie in the dosage and how many shots are required for each, she said.

Pfizer’s vaccine is approved for kids ages 6 months through 4 years old and is given in a three-shot series. The second shot is given three to eight weeks after the first shot, and the third shot is given at least eight weeks after the second.

Each Pfizer dose is 3 micrograms — a tenth of the dosage for adults, Tyungu said.

“In the preliminary data, it shows that having a three-dose series is 80% efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19,” she said.

Moderna’s vaccine is for kids ages 6 months through 5 years old, and it is a two-dose series with each dose a month apart. Each shot is a fourth of the adult dosage.

For both vaccine manufacturers, “we do expect that you will still have that good protection against hospitalization and death even with these new variants that are coming around the corner.”

Is it safe to be given with other vaccines?

Yes — adults and children both can get COVID-19 vaccines on the same day as other vaccines.

“This is the perfect opportunity for parents to make their appointment to catch up on all childhood vaccines, which can be given at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Staceee Hoye, chief of clinical services with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department. “Most schools, day cares and colleges require proof of childhood immunizations to attend. Parents can beat the back-to-school rush.”

How soon after having COVID-19 can a child get vaccinated?

“We've been asking people — children, and not children — to wait a three-month duration and then go ahead and get vaccinated,” Tyungu said.

People who have been infected with COVID-19 and are vaccinated have been shown to have some of the strongest immunity against the virus, she said.

Why get vaccinated?

Tyungu said she was ecstatic when her son became eligible for the vaccine — it was “literally the best news ever for my family,” she said.

But for families who are still deciding whether to vaccinate their kids against COVID-19, Tyungu offered some advice.

“Even though we've been dealing with COVID for almost three years, it's still a very new virus to the human race,” she said. “Especially for those kids who have never been infected before, having a little bit of immunity before encountering the virus can be very, very helpful at preventing hospitalization” or other possible consequences of getting infected, like MIS-C or long COVID.

More: Over 5,800 deaths could've been avoided if all Oklahoma adults got a COVID-19 vaccine

Where are vaccines available?

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department began offering vaccination appointments at three clinic locations Thursday. Walk-ins also are available, but appointments are preferred, the department said.

• Northeast clinic, 2700 NE 63: call 405-419-4200 for an appointment

• Southern Oaks clinic, 6728 S Hudson Ave.: call 405-419-4119 for an appointment

• West clinic, 4330 NW 10: call 405-419-4150 for an appointment

More locations can be found by entering your ZIP code at vaccines.gov. On Thursday, several locations across the state showed they had Pfizer vaccines for young children in stock.

It’s worth calling ahead to check each vaccination location’s age policy. Walgreens, for example, is only offering vaccination appointments for kids 3 and older.

The state Health Department also suggested contacting your child’s pediatrician to ask about vaccine availability.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What to know about COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in Oklahoma