Children as young as 5 years old may soon be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s where Lehigh Valley parents can get their kids vaccinated

Morning Call - 10/20/2021

After months of waiting, children as young as 5 years old may be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine within just a few weeks.

The White House on Wednesday said it is ready to roll out the vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 if the Food and Drug Administration authorizes the Pfizer vaccine and it is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pfizer officially asked the federal government for emergency use authorization of its vaccine in children 5 to 11 years old Oct. 7.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is planning to hold an advisory committee meeting Oct. 26 on use of the vaccine in young children. The CDC has its advisory meeting scheduled for Nov. 2-3. Roughly 28 million children across the country will become eligible for the shot if it is authorized.

The dose and formula for this vaccine would be specifically adjusted for 5 to 11 year olds and will come with all the ancillary supplies that providers need, including smaller needles. President Joe Biden’s administration has procured enough vaccines to support vaccinating all children in this age range. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is working with states to makevaccines for kids available as soon as possible.

Pediatricians, primary care providers, retail pharmacies, school-based organizations and community-based organizations have already been tapped to administer these vaccines once they are authorized.

Mark O’Neill, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, said the state is planning for approval and more than 3,000 vaccine providers in Pennsylvania are awaiting final guidance. Some of these providers are in the Lehigh Valley.

“We’ll be ready to go as soon as it’s announced,” Lehigh Valley Health Network spokesperson Brian Downs said. “We do pediatric flu shots every year, including at our drive-thrus, so our caregivers have a lot of experience giving shots to children, including on a large scale.”

LVHN has had meetings with the state to ensure an appropriate supply of vaccines for young children will be available. Downs added that they are in contact with area school districts and plan to partner with them to get children vaccinated.

St. Luke’s University Health Network is also on stand-by, Dr. Dianne Jacobetz, medical director of pediatrics for St. Luke’s Physician Group, said.

“We closely monitor this process and are prepared to offer the vaccine as soon as possible following approval. Likely within a day of the official approval,” Jacobetz said.

St. Luke’s has pre-requested doses through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Though distribution and shipping will be dependent upon when the CDC gives final approval, St. Luke’s does not anticipate any issues receiving supplies.

Jacobetz added the network is planning fun surprises for pediatric patients and their parents to make the experience as easy as possible.

“Our pediatric team and vaccinators are very accustomed to vaccinating young kids. Kids receive immunizations frequently – more often than most adults,” Jacobetz said. “But sometimes kids need a little extra reassurance or something to keep them distracted.”

In August, Alison Beam, acting secretary of health for Pennsylvania, issued an order encouraging K-12 schools to work with local vaccine providers to host clinics. Several school districts in the Lehigh Valley are already planning clinics for students ages 5 to 11. the Bethlehem Area, Northampton Area and Parkland chool istricts said they have vaccine clinics in the works. All three districts held clinics for middle and high school students after the vaccine was approved for children ages 12 to 15.

Bethlehem Superintendent Joseph Roy said the district is working with the Bethlehem Health Bureau to run four weekly clinics in November. These clinics will be after school hours in the district’s four middle schools.

Roy added the district works closely with St. Luke’s and will coordinate with the network to advertise clinics at St. Luke’s facilities within the district.

Northampton Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said district officials have started discussions with a local pharmacy to hold clinics. He said the clinics they held during the spring were highly successful. So many parents signed up their children for shots that Northampton had to make a waiting list, he said. The district expects there will be a big demand this time, too.

Kovalchik added they also plan to coordinate with St. Luke’s to hold clinics for district parents that haven’t yet been vaccinated.

Parkland School District is also planning to offer clinics for students but district spokesperson Nicole McGalla said other information was not available at this time.

Morning Call reporter Leif Greiss can be reached at 610-679-4028 or lgreiss@mcall.com.