COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children under 5 in NC will likely open next week
Parents of young children may be able to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments in North Carolina beginning next week.
After months of delays, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years on Friday. Though the virus generally causes mild symptoms in young kids, serious illness is possible and vaccines help reduce that risk.
If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives the final approval for the vaccines this weekend, as it is expected to, the state Department of Health will release shipments of the vaccines to local health departments and more than 300 pediatric offices in North Carolina. They will also be available in family medicine offices and, for children 3 and older, in pharmacies.
The Moderna vaccine, a two-dose series, was authorized for children 6 months to 5 years old while the Pfizer vaccine, a three-dose series, was authorized for children six months to 4 years old. The Pfizer vaccine was already approved for use in children ages 5 and up.
Both vaccines were shown to be effective at stopping symptomatic infections in this age group and generated few side effects, the most common of which were headaches and arm pain.
Parents can find more information about where to find a vaccine appointment at MySpot.nc.gov or by calling the vaccine help center at 888-675-4567.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 12:58 PM.
