| The Indiana Department of Health announced today that Hoosiers age 12 and older can begin receiving a free COVID-19 vaccine at 8 a.m. Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the use of the Pfizer vaccine for this new age group on Wednesday following the FDA’s expansion of the vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one of the three COVID-19 vaccines that is currently approved for use in individuals younger than age 18. “The Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 and was well tolerated by adolescents participating in clinical trials,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “This vaccine is the next step toward getting back to normal for children who have missed out on so much over the past year, including school and extracurricular activities. Those who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine if they are a close contact of a positive case unless they develop symptoms of COVID. That is welcome news for both children and parents.” To find a vaccination clinic that offers the Pfizer vaccine, visit https://ourshot.in.gov and search for a site that lists Pfizer as an option, or call 211 if you do not have access to a computer or require assistance. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are permitted. An adult must accompany a child age 12 to 15 to the appointment; parental consent is required for minors. As of today, a total of 4,657,343 doses have been administered in Indiana. This includes 2,461,137 first doses and 2,196,206 individuals who are fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated number represents individuals who have received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and those who received the single Johnson & Johnson vaccine. |
