On Monday, May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents 12-15 years of age. On Wednesday, May 12, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met to make final recommendations for the use of the vaccine for adolescents in this age group. Based on the final recommendations of the ACIP, the Southern Nevada Health District has begun administering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 12 and older at Health District sites. Registration for appointments is now available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine.
“The availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children is welcome news,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, District Health Officer for the Southern Nevada Health District. “Children are just as susceptible to getting the virus that causes COVID-19 as adults. Younger people may not be as likely to get severely ill, but it is still a risk, and they can spread the virus to others who may be more at risk for complications from the illness. The more people that are vaccinated in our community, the better protected everyone will be.”
Children who are newly eligible to get the vaccine will be able to do so at existing Health District and partner sites that administer the Pfizer vaccine. Children under the age of 18 must also have written consent from a parent or guardian at the time of services. The Health District’s policy is available on its website.
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and free, and the Health District is urging parents and guardians to ensure their children are fully vaccinated and protected from COVID-19.
As of May 12, there have been 940,283 COVID-19 doses initiated, 724,903 doses completed, and a total of 1,602,078 COVID-19 doses administered in Clark County. Appointments at Health District and community partner vaccine clinics are available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine or by calling the state’s vaccine hotline at 1-800-401-0946, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Additional clinic information can be found online at www.NVCOVIDFighter.org. The site also features live chat support to make scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment and getting information about the vaccine more accessible.
COVID-19 testing is vital to identifying people who are infected so they can isolate themselves from others and interrupt the transmission of the virus. The Health District recommends testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Testing is recommended for people who have symptoms of COVID-19; anyone who had close contact with someone who has a confirmed or possible case of COVID-19; people who were in a setting where they were exposed to a large group of people or people who were not wearing face coverings or not maintaining physical distance; and anyone who is planning to visit someone who is at high risk of illness, including people 65 years of age and older and people with serious medical conditions. Find a COVID-19 testing location at www.snhd.info/covid-testing.