COVID-19 Vaccines Will Soon Be Available to Ohioans Ages 5-11 Years Old | Ohio Department of Health – Ohio Department of Health

FORIMMEDIATERELEASENov. 2, 2021Contact: ODH Office of Communications 614-644-8562

COVID-19 Vaccines Will Soon Be Available to Ohioans Ages 5-11 Years Old

COLUMBUS Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting an emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine formulation, and pending a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is announcing that vaccine providers across the state can begin vaccinating children ages 5 to 11 years old as soon as the CDC makes its recommendation.

Today is a day that many children and numerous adults parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles, pediatricians, teachers, and coaches have long awaited, said Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA. The authorization of this COVID-19 vaccine for younger Ohioans is yet another crucial turning point in this pandemic, allowing us to better protect young children from severe complications from COVID-19. This deadly virus has killed more than 24,000 Ohioans, and has caused nearly 206,000 pediatric infections among those ages 17 and younger.

While children are less likely than adults to get severely ill from COVID-19, they most certainly can, and do, become ill. As of Nov. 1, more than 2,000 Ohio children under 18 had been hospitalized with COVID-19, and 15 had died.

Just like adults, when children become sick from COVID-19, they can spread it to others and suffer severe health outcomes, or even death, explained Dr. Vanderhoff. When more people are vaccinated, it lessens the opportunity for dangerous variants to take hold, helping us to get control of this pandemic.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine pediatric formulation is a smaller 10 microgram dose compared with the dose of 30 micrograms used in adults and adolescents 12 and older. It is arriving in Ohio on a staggered schedule over the coming days. Providers across the state, including local health departments, pediatricians, family physicians,community health centers, adult andchildrens hospitals, and pharmacies, are receiving shipments and will be scheduling appointments or accepting walk-ins. As the shipments arrive and following the CDCs recommendation, providers can begin to administer the vaccine.Ohioans are encouraged to call their provider for more information or visitgettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.govor call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) to locate a provider or make an appointment.

There are an estimated 997,570 Ohioans ages 5 to 11 years old, bringing the total of Ohioans eligible to be vaccinated based on age to 10,998,272, approximately 94% of the states population.

Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD will hold a press conference with pediatric medical experts about the COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old.

Press Conference

WHO: Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, Director, Ohio Department of HealthPatty Manning-Courtney, MD, Pediatrician, Chief of Staff, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical CenterMichael Forbes, MD, Pediatric Intensive Care Specialist, Akron Childrens HospitalMichele Dritz, MD, Pediatrician, Cornerstone Pediatrics; Delegate at Large, American Academy of Pediatrics, Ohio Chapter

WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m.

LIVESTREAM: Watch a livestream on YouTube at https://youtu.be/54iWhEvwLyo

MEDIA ACCESS: Media ONLY may join via Zoom. All guests who are not members of the media planning to ask questions or record should watch on YouTube using the link above.

MEDIA LINK:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83010933139?pwd=ZE5iSFdZVjRjbXRFZVlucS9sVzdpUT09

Meeting ID: 830 1093 3139Passcode: 687830One tap mobile

+19292056099,,83010933139#,,,,*687830# US (New York)+13017158592,,83010933139#,,,,*687830# US (Washington DC)

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available throughout the state. Many providers offer walk-in appointments, or Ohioans can schedule a vaccination appointment at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Ohioans who want to learn more about the safety, efficacy, and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines should talk to their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist, or visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

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COVID-19 Vaccines Will Soon Be Available to Ohioans Ages 5-11 Years Old | Ohio Department of Health - Ohio Department of Health