Michigan State, Ingham County Health Department to offer pediatric COVID-19 vaccines

Sparrow pediatric nurse Kriste Hundt gives eight-year-old Quinn Tarrant his COVID-19 vaccination shot Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, at Sparrow Laboratory's Drive-Thru Services center in Frandor.
Sparrow pediatric nurse Kriste Hundt gives eight-year-old Quinn Tarrant his COVID-19 vaccination shot Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, at Sparrow Laboratory's Drive-Thru Services center in Frandor.

EAST LANSING — Michigan State University and the Ingham County Health Department are offering the first local pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinics in July.

COVID-19 vaccinations became available starting this week for children from 6 months to 5 years after the Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations were cleared for young children by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday and then recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday.

With those approvals and recommendations in place, MSU and the health department will offer the first pediatric clinics in the region. The clinics are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 1 and July 29 at the Breslin Student Events Center.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with MSU to provide the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to the members of our community,” said Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail, in a press release. “The vaccine for children under the age of 5 offers significant protection from COVID-19 and will further contribute to protecting our community.”

According to a Kaiser Foundation survey, about 5,000 Ingham County parents and guardians are expected to seek vaccinations for their children, according to the press release.

“Families are critical to fighting the spread of COVID-19, and vaccines are the best way we know how to protect our children and at-risk family members against the coronavirus and its variants,” said MSU Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Norman Beauchamp Jr. in the press release. “The research and development behind the vaccines span several decades, so we know they are safe. This community partnership further strengthens our responsibility and commitment to provide a healthy and safe campus and community.”

Free parking in Lot 63, off Harrison Road, will be available for those who attend the clinics, Visitors can enter the Breslin Center through the Hall of History entrance at the southeast corner of the building.

Those getting vaccinated should bring COVID-19 vaccination record cards, ID cards and insurance cards with them, if possible.

MSU and the health department encourage those interested in vaccines to schedule appointments, but walk-ins will be accommodated if possible. Registration for a vaccination appointment can be completed at hd.ingham.org/coronavirus/r_1014.aspx.

Contact Mark Johnson at (517) 377-1026 or majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State, Ingham County offering pediatric COVID-19 shots