Southern Nevada Health District to begin offering COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months to 5 years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 19, 2022

LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Health District will begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to children 6 months to 5 years of age beginning Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at its clinics. The Health District will initially have the Pfizer vaccine, a three-dose series, available in its clinics. The announcement follows recommendations by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and authorization for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“We are pleased to finally be able to offer the COVID-19 vaccines to help protect our youngest residents,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, District Health Officer for the Southern Nevada Health District. “Families have made extraordinary sacrifices these past few years to protect their children and their most vulnerable members. The availability of the vaccines for younger children is another critical step in our ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on our community,” said Dr. Leguen.

The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for children 6 months to 4 years of age and is a three-dose series. The second dose is administered three weeks after the first dose. The third dose is administered at least eight weeks after the second dose. (Available in Health District clinics beginning Wednesday, June 22.)
The Moderna vaccine is authorized for children ages 6 months to 5 years of age in a two-dose series, with the second dose administered after 28 days. (Initially unavailable in Health District clinics.)

As of June 13, the Health District is reporting 13,868 cases of COVID-19 in children under the age of 4 and three deaths. Many children who get COVID-19 will experience mild symptoms. However, some will experience more severe illness or develop long-term symptoms.

“I would encourage parents and guardians to bring their children in to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Dr. Cort Lohff, Chief Medical Officer for the Health District. “This is the time of year we start reminding the community about the importance of back-to-school immunizations, and this is one more step parents can take to help ensure their children have a healthier start to the school year,” said Dr. Lohff.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 591 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the U.S. since December 14, 2020. The vaccines underwent a rigorous process to ensure their safety and effectiveness and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

Health District COVID-19 clinic location information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.