HOUSTON – Texas Children’s Hospital and all Texas Children’s Pediatrics practices will begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster Friday to children ages 5 to 11, a news release said.
The FDA and CDC recommend eligible children in this age group receive the booster dose five months after completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccine series, as the initial vaccine’s effectiveness wanes over time.
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Administration of this booster dose will offer children critical protection against COVID-19 infection and the potential long-term consequences from this dangerous infection, TCH said.
“Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine booster is an instrumental and effective tool in our ongoing campaign to protect children from this dangerous and tenacious virus,” said Mark A. Wallace, President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital. “Now we are able to equip pediatric patients with another layer of life-saving armor to help ensure their well-being — and potentially prevent them from spreading the virus to their friends and family.”
Parents and caregivers of children aged 5 to 11 can schedule a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster through the hospital’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments scheduler. Free valet or validated parking is provided for families visiting Texas Children’s Texas Medical Center, The Woodlands, and West campuses for the vaccine.
“The FDA’s and CDC’s endorsement this week of the COVID-19 booster for children aged 5 to 11 is an exciting, long-awaited milestone in our fight against COVID-19,” said Julie Boom, M.D., Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Immunization Project and Co-Chair of Texas Children’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. “The COVID-19 vaccine booster is the safest and most effective way to protect our children, families and the community, and I strongly encourage parents to get their eligible children vaccinated.”
For more information, visit the Texas Children’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hub.