Texas Children's Hospital To Begin Safely Administering COVID-19 Vaccines to Children Aged 6 months to 5 years

HOUSTON, June 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Tuesday, June 21, Texas Children's Hospital will begin administering both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 6 months to 5 years, following FDA emergency-use authorization and recommendations for safe administration from the CDC.

Texas Children's applauds the FDA and CDC for taking this important, additional step to protect young children against COVID-19 infection and its potential long-term ramifications. Vaccinating children as young as 6 months old will offer them a critical defense against the Coronavirus, while also offering further protection for their parents, grandparents, teachers and other caregivers.

"In the more than two years since COVID-19 became a deadly and destructive influence in all of our lives, we have made monumental progress in our efforts to vaccinate against this virus," said Mark A. Wallace, President and CEO of Texas Children's Hospital. "And now today, to be at a point where we can protect children as young as 6 months old is extraordinary. We are ready and eager to continue leading in this fight."

As the largest pediatric hospital in the country, Texas Children's is ideally suited and well equipped to safely administer COVID-19 vaccines to eligible children in the community. As a part of Texas Children's robust vaccination initiative, the hospital has created an organized system for scheduling and administration of various vaccine doses, along with child-friendly characters and settings with engaging activities and entertainment for an enhanced patient experience.

As a participating hospital in Pfizer's COVID-19 pediatric clinical trials for children aged six months to 11 years, Texas Children's continues to deliver on its commitment to safely vaccinate millions of children.

Parents and caregivers seeking to vaccinate their children can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine at six Texas Children's Hospital locations throughout Houston and Austin with the hospital's COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments scheduler. Free valet or validated parking is provided for families visiting Texas Children's Texas Medical Center, The Woodlands and West campuses for this vaccine.

Parents who wish for their children to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at one of the 15 Texas Children's Pediatrics community vaccination sites throughout Houston, College Station and Austin can visit the COVID-19 Hub to schedule an appointment. Appointments can also be scheduled via MyChart or by calling their Texas Children's Pediatrics office.

To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and Texas Children's equitable vaccination efforts, please visit the Texas Children's COVID-19 Vaccine Hub. For more information about Texas Children's Hospital, visit www.texaschildrens.org.

Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for Pediatric Research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital