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Central Minnesota kids under 5 can now get a COVID vaccine at CentraCare

Times staff report
·1 min read
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A nurse holds paperwork related to the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in the Community Living Center at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.
A nurse holds paperwork related to the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in the Community Living Center at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

ST. CLOUD ― Beginning Tuesday parents and guardians can make an appointment for children under 5 to get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at CentraCare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved Pfizer's vaccination series for children ages 6 months to 4 years old on June 18.

Vaccine appointments can be scheduled at CentraCare clinics through a primary care provider.

The vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years old is one-tenth the dosage given to adults. It's a three-shot regimen, so children would receive two doses three weeks apart and a third dose at least two months later.

More:1 COVID-19 death, 466 new cases reported in St. Cloud area

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for ages 5-11 in October and ages 12-17 in May 2021.

"While children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill from COVID-19, they still can transmit the disease to others. Getting kids vaccinated is an important component of protecting our children from serious illness," said CentraCare in a press release. "For answers to questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids, please talk with your child’s primary care provider."

Nurse practitioner Mandy Krippner prepares one of the first few doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be given to staff members Thursday Dec. 17, 2020, at the St. Cloud Hospital.
Nurse practitioner Mandy Krippner prepares one of the first few doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be given to staff members Thursday Dec. 17, 2020, at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Learn more:CentraCare answers questions on COVID anti-viral drug

More:With almost 1 in 5 employees unvaccinated, COVID mandates could hit St. Cloud VA hard

Find a vaccine clinic near you at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/index.jsp.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Central Minnesota kids under 5 can now get a COVID vaccine at CentraCare