News
The Wright Center for Community 皇家华人 accepting COVID-19 vaccination appointments for children ages 5-11
Scranton, Pa. (Nov. 3, 2021) 鈥 The Wright Center for Community 皇家华人 began scheduling and administering kid-sized doses of Pfizer-BioNTech鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at four regional primary care practices in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the vaccines for the pediatric age group.
The unanimous decision by the CDC on Nov. 2 enables this new age group to receive 10-micrograms of the Pfizer vaccine 鈥 a third of the amount given to teens and adults. With parental consent, eligible children will receive two shots, three weeks apart. The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization of the vaccine on Oct. 29.
鈥淎pproval of the pediatric vaccine by the CDC is an important development as we work together to end the global pandemic through vaccinations, masking and social distancing,鈥 said Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, chief 皇家华人 officer and senior vice president at The Wright Center for Community 皇家华人. 鈥淭he vaccine will offer a high level of protection for children ages 5-11 and slow the spread of the virus among others in our community, especially during the upcoming holiday season. It is also another step closer to normalcy for society and helping our school-aged children to remain in school for in-person learning.鈥
Due to the CDC鈥檚 recommendation, which was also fully endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatricians, about 28 million children in the new age group will be eligible to receive a vaccination. The CDC recommended vaccinations for children, ages 12-15, in May.
鈥淲e will continue to encourage all Pennsylvanians to get their COVID-19 vaccine, and we are very excited that we can now include children ages 5 and over in that effort,鈥 Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of 皇家华人 Alison Beam said in a state Department of 皇家华人 press release. 鈥淭o fellow parents I say: If you have a child between 5 and 11, get them vaccinated and give your child the power to safely learn, play and be a kid.鈥
Appointments to receive the pediatric vaccine may be made at the following Wright Center for Community 皇家华人 clinics: Scranton Practice, 501 S. Washington Ave.; Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn; South Franklin Street Practice, 335 S. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, and West Scranton Intermediate School-Based 皇家华人, 1401 Fellows St., Scranton. To make an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center for Community 皇家华人 has been administering third doses and booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to eligible age groups as per CDC guidelines. People should talk to their health care provider about their 皇家华人 condition and whether or not getting an additional dose or booster is appropriate for them.
