Vaccine providers prepare for kids’ appointments

Vaccine providers in Kalamazoo County are getting ready for an onslaught of appointments from parents of 12 to 15 year olds. That’s after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to Pfizer to offer the vaccines to that age group.

They just need to wait on the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A vaccine advisory committee is slated to hold a meeting on Wednesday to consider the move. But signs are promising.

Pfizer has spent months testing its COVID-19 vaccine in teenagers. Results indicate that it is 100% effective at preventing coronavirus infection in teens.

Regional and local health departments throughout the state eagerly await the CDC’s determination and could be ready to offer the vaccines to teens as soon as Thursday.

But pharmacies may offer the best option for teens to get the shots, at least in the short term. That’s because chains like Meijer Pharmacy and Rite-Aid already have the infrastructure in place to provide vaccines, while health departments rely on regularly-scheduled clinics.

In the longer term, 12 to 15 years olds will be able to get the vaccine from their pediatricians.

You can read more on WWMT.