LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District began to administer Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine today to children between the ages of 5 and 11 at its main clinic at 280 S. Decatur Blvd. as well as its partner clinics. To locate a clinic, visit the Health District’s COVID-19 vaccine information page at www.SNHD.info/covid-vaccine. Pediatric vaccines are currently available on a walk-in basis until the appointment system is updated.
In addition to Health District clinic locations, the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is also available at pediatricians’ offices, clinics, and pharmacies.
The vaccine is the best way to protect children from getting COVID-19. The vaccine is safe, effective and free. Before it was authorized for children, it was rigorously tested and the data from clinical trials was thoroughly reviewed.
The Health District encourages parents to have their eligible children vaccinated. Even though COVID-19 tends to be milder in children, it still can cause serious illness. In Clark County, there have been 269 children hospitalized, 37,544 COVID cases in people between the ages of 5 and 17, and 92 cases of multi-inflammatory syndrome in children.
“Vaccinating children in this age group is a positive step in our efforts to minimize rates of transmission in Clark County and we can now provide protection to an additional 200,000 people in our community,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, District Health Officer for the Southern Nevada Health District. “We know some parents have questions about whether or not they should get their children vaccinated and I encourage them to discuss their concerns with their children’s pediatrician about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated.”
The Health District encourages anyone who has not been vaccinated to visit one of the many clinics available to initiate the vaccine series. People who have received their first of a two-dose vaccine series should return to a clinic to get their second dose to be fully vaccinated.
Additional COVID-19 resources and information, including testing locations, are available on the Health District website at www.snhd.info/covid.