WellSpan Health announces today plans to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine boosters for specific age groups, in accordance with recommendations and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Pfizer vaccine now approved for children ages 5-11
WellSpan Health will align with the latest guidance from the CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health in making the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine available to children ages 5 to 11 beginning next week.
“Vaccines have proven to be effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 among adults, and we are excited that children in South Central Pennsylvania will now have the chance to receive their shot of hope,” said Mark Goedecker, vice president and chief medical officer, primary care service line, WellSpan Health. “While children have a lower risk of COVID-19 than adults, some do get ill, while those who don’t get ill can still spread the virus to others. We believe that expanding our vaccination efforts to this age group will go a long way in ending this pandemic.”
Children ages 5 to 11 will be able to receive the vaccine beginning Monday, Nov. 8. You do not need to be a WellSpan Health patient. Beginning on Friday, Nov. 5, parents or guardians will be able to schedule their children for an appointment by using MyWellSpan or by calling our hotline at (855) 851-3641. Parents can also schedule their children online at WellSpan.org/COVID19. The appointments will take place at pediatric practices and some WellSpan Family Medicine practices, instead of at hospitals or community vaccination sites. This is to provide a more comfortable environment for the pediatric patient. Walk-in appointments will not be available for children ages 5 to 11.
On Oct. 26, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee recommended emergency use authorization of a lower dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee announced on Tuesday their recommendation to make the vaccine available to those children as well.
Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved for children ages 5 to 17. The FDA has not yet ruled on Moderna’s application to expand its vaccinations to children, and WellSpan Health continues to follow all CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine.
WellSpan offering Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinics in November
Starting this month, WellSpan will offer dedicated clinics for patients to receive either a first dose or booster of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. While WellSpan does encourage a multidose strategy due to increased efficacy, the health system recognizes that, for some, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be a more viable option.
The clinics will take place at the following times and locations:
- Friday, Nov. 5 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital - Community Room A
- Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - WellSpan Surgery & Rehabilitation Hospital - Community Room
- Wednesday, Nov. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital - Health Pavilion Oak A & B
- Friday, Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital – Main Conference Room
- Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital - Main Entrance, Registration Area
- Thursday, Nov. 18 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - WellSpan York Hospital - Room 10B
- Friday, Nov. 19from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. - WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital - Lecture Room B & C
Appointments can be scheduled via MyWellSpan or by calling the hotline at (855) 851-3641. Walk-in appointments will also be available.
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit WellSpan.org/COVID19.
