More COVID-19 vaccines ordered in Utah for children as young as 6 months

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health and Human Services said more COVID-19 vaccines for Utah’s youngest will begin to arrive this week. The announcement comes days after the CDC authorized the vaccine for children 6 months and older.

The DHHS said it ordered 32,000 doses of the vaccine and it expected the first two batches to arrive the week of June 20.

Utah providers will begin administering the doses over the next several days and weeks.

“We encourage parents to reach out to their child’s healthcare provider if they have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and to find out when they can get their children vaccinated. Please be patient with vaccine providers over the next couple of weeks as they receive vaccines and prepare to administer them to our youngest children,” said Dr. Leisha Nolen, a pediatrician and the state epidemiologist at the DHHS.

What COVID-19 vaccines are available?

The FDA authorized both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children 6 months and older. 

As for how children’s vaccinations differ from adults, the CDC said, “COVID-19 vaccine dosage is based on age on the day of vaccination, not on a child’s size or weight. This is also true for other routinely recommended vaccines.”

The DHHS said depending on the vaccine, children may need two or three doses. The DHHS listed the dosage for each vaccine:

• For Pfizer, children 6 months through 4 years old will need three doses. Children should get a second dose 21 days after the first. A third dose should be given two months after the second.
• And for Moderna, children 6 months through 5 years will need two doses. Children should get a second dose at least 28 days after the first.

Where to find a vaccine provider

A list of providers is available on the state’s coronavirus website. The DHHS said parents can also use the CDC’s vaccine website to verify if providers have children’s doses.

Parents can also call their children’s health provider or their local health department for more information.

“Doctors, and especially pediatricians, will play a critical role in vaccinating this population,” Nolen said and added that she hopes providers will proactively reach out to their patients with vaccine information.

“The clinical trials showed these vaccines are safe for young children and can prevent them from getting sick or suffering from long-term impacts of COVID-19,” said Nolen. “We need to help keep kids out of the hospital and now we can through vaccination.”

Related: 

• Anxiety and depression rates rise nationwide

• Utah nursing leader lobbying in D.C. for law to address nurse safety

• Primary Children’s Hospital ranked as one of nation’s best children’s hospitals

Follow @samanthagherr