Shawnee County has begun making COVID-19 vaccine available to children 6 months to 5 years old

Tim Hrenchir and Andrew Bahl, Topeka Capital-Journal
·3 min read
Vials of COVID-19 vaccine were loaded last year during a clinic held by the Shawnee County Health Department. That department on Monday began making the COVID-19 vaccine available to children ages 6 months to 5 years.
Vials of COVID-19 vaccine were loaded last year during a clinic held by the Shawnee County Health Department. That department on Monday began making the COVID-19 vaccine available to children ages 6 months to 5 years.

The Shawnee County Health Department on Monday began making the COVID-19 vaccine available to children ages 6 months to 5 years.

The move came after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced last week it would follow a recommendation by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that eligibility for the vaccine be expanded to children of those ages.

Two expert advisory panels, one for the Food and Drug Administration and the other for the CDC, reviewed safety and effectiveness data on the shots last week.

Both panels unanimously found that the benefits of vaccination for children 6 months to 5-6 years outweigh the risks. Members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices were adamant that parents should take the opportunity to protect their children against COVID-19.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday shots would begin to be distributed to providers late last week.

"The vaccine remains the best way to protect from serious illness. This important development will help keep children safe and stop the spread of COVID-19,” KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said in a statement. “We encourage all parents or guardians of eligible Kansans to discuss this with their healthcare provider or the medical professional at the location where you receive care about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot.”

How do the vaccines work?

Healthy children ages 6 months to 6 years would get two shots of Moderna's vaccine four to eight weeks apart. They would probably need a third dose, though the timing hasn't been worked out.

Children ages 6 months to 5 years would get their second shot of Pfizer-BioNTech's three-dose vaccine three to eight weeks after the first and their third shot at least eight weeks later.

How can I make an appointment in Topeka?

The county health department has received its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna pediatric vaccines and is offering them at its clinic at 2115 S.W. 10th Ave., said Craig Barnes, that department's division manager and public information officer.

Shawnee County commissioners learned of the change at their meeting Monday.

Barnes asked that appointments be made by calling 785-251-5700.

Still, he said walk-ins would be accepted at the clinic from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays; and 8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays.

Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and everyone entering the building over the age of 2 is required to wear a mask, Barnes said.

Those who need special accommodations due to a medical condition are asked to call 785-251-5700, he said.

The health department asked those with questions to email them to CovidVaccine@snco.us.

Where else can I find the shots?

Pediatrician offices across the state have already pre-ordered doses and parents can check with their doctor to see if the shots are available, as well as to reach out with any questions they may have regarding their child.

Mass clinics at schools, as well as availability at clinics, is expected to be smaller for these vaccines due to the younger age group but information on other potential locations is available at vaccines.gov. KDHE encourages residents to call the provider to confirm availability.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Small children may now be vaccinated for COVID-19 in Shawnee County