CT Children Age 12-15 Can Get Pfizer Vaccine. Greenwich Schools Chief Announces Clinics for Students.

Governor Ned Lamont announced on Wednesday the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is available to in CT residents 12 to 15 at all clinics in the state that offer that vaccine.

The expansion of the vaccine to this age group follows a decision earlier in the day by the CDC.

Parents and legal guardians of roughly 170,000 Connecticut residents 12-15 can now sign their children up for an appointment or visit one of the many clinics that are accepting walk-up patients.

“The vaccine is safe, effective, and saving lives,” Governor Lamont said, adding that offering it to 12-15 year olds would help get schools back to normal and encourage safe, summer activities.

“This is welcome news for many parents, school officials, summer camp directors, and students themselves,” Acting Public Health Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. “While COVID-19 generally doesn’t affect children as severely as adults, children are not immune from contracting and getting sick with the virus, nor are they immune from spreading it to adults and others who may not be able to be vaccinated. I strongly urge parents with children in this age group to get your children vaccinated.”

In an email to public school families on Wednesday, Dr. Toni Jones and Nurse Mary Keller noted the vaccine was an optional, private decision for individuals and families.

And, she said, as required by law the decision is a privacy matter.

“There is no obligation to share, and as well as no right to ask, if a student or staff member is vaccinated,” Jones wrote.

Yale New Haven Health Services has shared that they have appointment availability for this newly eligible age group. Please visit this site if you are interested in registering your child to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from YNHHS at their Brunswick School Clinic.  

Community Health Centers of Stamford has also provided opportunities for students to be vaccinated at their Lord & Taylor drive-through clinic. Parents may register through these links below, and they will be asked to electronically give consent for their child to receive the vaccine. CHC strongly encourages parents to attend the vaccination clinic with their child. At the clinic, parents will complete the pre-vaccination questionnaire and be given the Emergency Use Authorization information on the Pfizer vaccine. CHC will be offering second dose appointments for children scheduled through these registration links according to the following schedule below. They encourage families to bring their children back according to this schedule at the same time as their first dose.

Family Centers of Greenwich will hold vaccine clinics at Greenwich High School and at each of the middle schools for families interested in obtaining the vaccine for their child.

  • 5/20: Greenwich High School PAC 1:00-5:00PM
  • 5/24: Eastern Middle School Auditorium 2:00pm-5:15pm
  • 5/25: Western Middle School Auditorium 2:00pm-5:15pm
  • 5/27: Central MiddleSchool Gym 2:00pm-5:15pm

Individuals 12-15 can be vaccinated at any clinic that is offering the Pfizer vaccine, as long as they are accompanied by or have the consent of their parent or legal guardian.

Vaccine providers offering the Pfizer vaccine include many pharmacies (including many CVS, Walgreens and RiteAid locations), the state’s mass drive-through vaccination sites run in partnership with CHC Inc, as well as many hospital locations (including Bristol Hospital, Day Kimball, Griffin, Hartford Healthcare, Middlesex, Trinity Health of New England, Waterbury, and Yale New Haven).

Most pediatrician offices will not yet have the Pfizer vaccine available for patients.

Pfizer’s minimum order size of 1,170 doses and its maximum storage time in a regular freezer of 14 days makes it difficult for individual pediatric offices to provide the vaccine to their patients. Some offices may partner with existing vaccine providers, however. Any doctor who is partnering with a vaccine provider should communicate directly with their patients to offer the vaccine.

As of Tuesday, May 11, more than 71% of Connecticut residents over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 56% are fully vaccinated, the highest rate in the nation.

Individuals with questions about the COVID-19 vaccination program or who would like to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine can visit ct.gov/covidvaccine. A list of walk-up clinics that do not require appointments in advance can be found at ct.gov/covidvaccine/walkup.

Those who have further questions or do not have access to the internet can call Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224.

The CT Department of Health has shared a vast amount of information about the vaccine. Included below are a few of their most frequently asked questions.