Following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Louisiana Department of Health, St. Tammany Health System is now accepting COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children as young as 12 years old.
Previously, only patients 16 and older were eligible. That changed this week with the FDA’s granting of approval for use of the vaccine in younger patients following clinical trail data that found its use to be safe and effective in that age group.
At the current time, Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine is the only COVID vaccine approved for patients under 18.
Vaccine appointments through STHS are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and should be made via the free MyChart app. Those experiencing difficulty with the app can make an appointment by calling (985) 898-4001, which is answered 24/7, although anticipated heavy call volumes may result in a longer-than-usual wait during peak hours.
“We have the utmost confidence in the FDA and CDC’s rigorous safety and efficacy review and, after looking at the data ourselves, are excited to now expand eligibility for more young people in Louisiana,” said Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana State Health Officer, in a news release announcing LDH’s new guidance. “Today is a good day, and it means more families have the ability to protect their children and their families and enjoy summer with confidence.”