COVID Vaccine For Kids 5-11: Where To Get One In Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY — Federal health officials have given the go-ahead to COVID-19 vaccinations for Hudson Valley children ages 5 to 11, setting off a new, long-awaited phase in the battle against the pandemic.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the announcement was an important step in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the state's Clinical Advisory Task Force unanimously agreed with the CDC.

"I encourage parents to reach out to their pediatricians and prepare to get their children vaccinated," she said. "New York State has been making preparations for this moment, and we will waste no time to help get shots administered through all available channels so that we can protect our kids from COVID-19 and finally put an end to the pandemic."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for elementary school-aged children, paving the way for inoculations for some 28 million young people across the country.

"Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation's fight against the virus that causes COVID-19," Walensky said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already granted emergency use authorization.

You can book now for appointments beginning Saturday at Walgreens and Sunday at CVS across the Hudson Valley.

Pfizer submitted data to the federal government showing that its vaccine is safe and 90.7 percent effective against symptomatic COVID-19 in children, Maryland health officials said recently.

CVS Health on Wednesday said the pharmacy chain's 1,700 locations nationwide — including selected sites in New York — are now accepting appointments for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine to children ages 5 to 11.

Vaccines will be available beginning Sunday, upon receipt and confirmation of vaccine supply. Parental or legal guardian consent is required, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

"We know many parents have been waiting for the opportunity to vaccinate their young children and are looking for convenient access to a trusted resource for vaccinations," said Dr. Troyen A. Brennan, executive vice president and chief medical officer of CVS Health, in a news release. "Our immunizers have been preparing for this important role, and stand ready to help answer parents' questions, guide them and their children through the process, and administer the vaccines safely, with kindness and caring."