HELENA — At St. Peter’s Health Hospital the rollout of vaccines for children ages 5-11 is well underway.
In the wake of the CDC approving Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, St. Peter’s began administering shots as early as last Thursday. The doses are smaller than those for adults. They are being offered for free to the children of any willing parent.
With an estimated 6 million infected children in the United States, these vaccine doses are meant to slow the spread and keep children away from hospitals.
Dr. Tom Strizich, a pediatrician at St. Peter’s, says that having your kids vaccinated not only protects them but every other person they may come in contact with including family members and teachers.
“This pandemic is real, it affects all of us. And it’s not just protecting your child against COVID, but it’s also protecting the people that your child’s around.”
Saturday, Nov. 13, there will be a free COVID vaccination clinic at East Helena High School. Additionally, the following Saturday there will be a clinic at Bryant Elementary School in Helena. Preregistration and a guardian accompanying minors are required.
Appointments are still available at both clinics. Parents and guardians should be prepared to wait up to 30 minutes after the shot is administered.
If you would like to have your child vaccinated, you can call your family physician or make an appointment at a Covid vaccine clinic through the Lewis & Clark county website.