Children ages 12 to 15 will now be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine in Connecticut, state officials announced Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the vaccine for the age group Wednesday.
Parents and legal guardians can sign their children up for an appointment or visit a clinic accepting walkup patients. Only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for this age group, so those planning to attend walkup clinics should check which vaccine is available ahead of time. Children must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian to get a vaccine.
State officials said there are roughly 170,000 children in that age group that will now be able to get a shot.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
“The vaccine is safe, effective, and saving lives,” Governor Lamont said in a statement. “Expanding the vaccination program to this age group is going to be incredibly beneficial in terms of getting our schools back to normal and encouraging safe, summer enrichment activities.”
Many pharmacies are offering the Pfizer vaccine, including CVS, Walgreens and RiteAid locations. CVS said they will be scheduling for the new age group in 45 locations in Connecticut. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Local
The state also plans to work with local health and school districts and summer youth programs to make the vaccine easily accessible.
Most pediatrician offices will not be able to offer the vaccine immediately due to its storage requirements. Some offices may partner with vaccine providers to offer the shot.
In Old Saybrook, appointments are available at https://vaccinatemykid.com/.
State officials said that as of Tuesday, more than 71% of Connecticut residents over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 56% are fully vaccinated, the highest rate in the country.
Those interested in scheduling a vaccine appointment can visit ct.gov/covidvaccine for more information. A list of walkup clinics that do not require appointments is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine/walkup. Residents can also call the Connecticut COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224.
