ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND JOHN R. OISHEI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL WILL OFFER PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE TO 5-11-YEAR-OLDS ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Clinic follows authorizations from FDA and recommendations from CDC and NYSDOH for this age group

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) and John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital (OCH) will hold a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Saturday, November 6, 2021, providing the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine specifically for 5-11-year-olds.

“We are coordinating this clinic with Oishei Children’s Hospital as another important step in the COVID-19 response,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “As a pediatrician, I know that parents and families have been waiting for this safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to be available for this younger age group, and we appreciate that Oishei offered to collaborate on one of the first COVID-19 vaccine clinics for 5-11-year-olds in our area. We can help keep children in school and fully participating in their extracurricular activities and sports.”  

“When more individuals in a community are vaccinated against COVID-19, we can lower transmission rates and prevalence of this disease,” said Oishei Children’s Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephen J. Turkovich. “Parents should make the decision to vaccinate their child after educating themselves with facts about the benefits and risks of COVID-19 and consulting with their child’s doctor. I can say confidently that I have made the decision to get my children vaccinated.” 

ECDOH received its first shipment of pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses on November 3. This clinic is the first of several weekend ECDOH COVID-19 vaccine clinics for this age group in November and December. A full schedule will be announced, with sites planned in the Northtowns, Southtowns and city of Buffalo on Saturday, November 13 and Saturday, November 20.                                                                                                       

OCH pediatric physicians and medical staff will administer COVID-19 vaccines at the clinic, while volunteers and therapy dogs will be available to provide support for parents and children. 

The November 6 clinic will have first doses for 5-11-year-olds only. Appointments/registration and parental consent required. Call (716) 858-2929 to schedule an appointment.

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• John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital: https://www.ochbuffalo.org
• ECDOH, COVID-19 vaccine info & clinic schedule: http://www.erie.gov/vax
• ECDOH, COVID-19 Information Line: (716) 858-2929 – foreign language interpretation available
• ECDOH, COVID-19 Weekly Data Updates: https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=covid-19-media-data
• New York State Department of Health, COVID-19 Boosters: http://ny.gov/boosters

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