Vaccines will be given at the Oak Street clinic in Frederick.
Frederick, MD (KM) The Frederick County Health Department has a supply of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, which can be administered to children between 12 and 15.
During her public information briefing on Thursday, County Executive Jan Gardner said the county received 1,000 doses of the vaccine this week, and is expected to get about 2,300 next week.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for teenagers.
“The science and research shows that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and highly effective for adolescents. Not only did the vaccine trigger immune responses in children, it also offered a high level protection against the virus,” Gardner explained.
Gardner said the vaccine for teenagers is available at the Oak Street clinic in Frederick. She said all 1,000 appointment slots for teenagers this week have been filled, but the county is scheduling 2,300 appointments for next week.
She urged parents to get their teenage kids signed up.
“Generally, children are less likely to show symptoms of COVID — they are susceptible to an extremely dangerous condition that is linked to the virus, that can cause organ damage and long-term consequences — and we’ve certainly seen some spread of the virus among youth sports, and to some extent, within schools,” Gardner said.
Gardner said vaccine approval for this age group will impact the upcoming school year.
“Adolescent vaccines will certainly make returning to a normal school year next year more possible, and we certainly hear of the interest in having a return to normal school,” she stated.
The Oak Street clinic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4pm to 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. The Oak Street clinic has both the Pfizer (12+) and Moderna (18+) vaccines.
The address is: 800 Oak Street, Frederick, MD 21703 (entrance off Himes Ave).
Residents can schedule an appointment by visiting: http://frederickcountymd.gov/covidvaccine or call 301-600-7900 Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm, or call 301-600-7905 for Spanish.
Walk-in appointments will be taken as vaccine supply allows. Residents are encouraged to make appointments, and those younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
By Kevin McManus