Starts Monday, November 8th!

North GA – On Monday, November 8, 2021, County Health Departments in the North Georgia Health District will begin offering free Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 years old.

This follows the expansion of Pfizer’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to children in this age group, and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., said, “We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine.”

According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines have undergone – and will continue to undergo – the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. Vaccinating children will help protect them from getting COVID-19 and reduce their risk of severe disease, hospitalizations, or developing long-term COVID-19 complications. Getting children vaccinated can help protect them against COVID-19, as well as reduce disruptions to in-person learning and activities, by helping curb community transmission.

No appointments are needed for COVID-19 vaccines at Public Health Departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties; however, it is recommended to find clinic hours for each county health department and location by going here to our home page.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines offered at County Health Departments in North Georgia HERE on our website!

Additional Facts: 

• The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 years has the same active ingredients as the vaccine given to adults and adolescents. However, children ages 5 through 11 years cannot get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine given to adults and adolescents. In addition, children ages 5 through 11 years receive an age-appropriate dose that is one-third of the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Smaller needles, designed specifically for children, are also used for children ages 5 through 11 years.
• Unlike many medications, COVID-19 vaccine dosage does not vary by patient weight but by age on the day of vaccination.
• Your child will need a second shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine three weeks after their first shot.