Younger teens start receiving virus vaccine in Minnesota
Vaccine clinics across the Twin Cities started offering appointments — and in some cases actual doses of COVID-19 vaccine — to adolescents age 12 to 15 on Thursday.
Children's Minnesota, the state's largest pediatric hospital, expects to immunize about 400 in the age group Thursday using vaccine made by the drug company Pfizer.
"Any place that has previously been giving Pfizer vaccine, they are likely still giving Pfizer vaccine and parents can access it that way," said Patsy Stinchfield, the hospital's senior director of infection prevention and control.
Noting that a state website lists vaccine sources, Stinchfield said: "Some have walk-in abilities at the pharmacies. Others are offering appointments."
At Children's, a few adolescents age 12 to 15 actually started receiving vaccine on Wednesday night, Stinchfield said, after the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted an advisory recommendation to expand use of the Pfizer vaccine.
The Minnesota Department of Health on Thursday reported 1,011 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths linked to the illness. The latest data release shows that more than 2.68 million Minnesotans now have received at least one dose of vaccine.
The Pfizer vaccine is one of three being used in the U.S., and the CDC's recommendation Wednesday came with encouragement for providers to start using it "right away," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency's director. Though most children with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms, some children can get severely ill, Walensky said, adding that broad protection "means vaccinating as many people as possible who are eligible."
"This official CDC action opens vaccination to approximately 17 million adolescents in the United States and strengthens our nation's efforts to protect even more people from the effects of COVID-19," she said in the statement.
On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine in 12- to 15-year-olds.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Christopher Snowbeck • 612-673-7744
