Rockland To Offer COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic For Little Kids

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The Rockland County Department of Health will hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for children aged 6 months to less than 5 years on July 15.

The clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Robert L. Yeager Health Center, Building A, 50 Sanatorium Road, in Pomona.

Appointments are strongly encouraged. To make an appointment click here.

The clinic will be giving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine — which for children 6 months through 4 years is administered as a 3-dose series.

The initial 2 doses are administered 21 days/3 weeks apart, followed by a third dose administered at least 8 weeks after the second dose. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose amount is based on the child's age at the time of the shot.

For children who are 4 years old and turning 5, the current guidance is not to wait. Get them vaccinated as soon as possible, county health officials said. Children younger than 6 months are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at this time.

Any child aged 6 months to less than 5 years old receiving the vaccine requires a parent or guardian to sign a consent form. The parent or guardian must show some form of personal identification, such as a driver's license.

If you have health insurance, please bring your benefit card with you. The vaccine is free; however, the Health Department can collect an administrative fee from insurance plans.

All are welcome regardless of immigration status.

"The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for the youngest children allows parents to now have the option to vaccinate their children under 5 and uses the same mRNA technology which continues to be safe and effective. Millions of individuals ages 5 and older have been safely vaccinated, and we know vaccines help to prevent severe illness and hospitalization," said County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert in the announcement. "The consequences of a pediatric COVID-19 case can be serious and potentially last months or longer. The COVID-19 vaccine available now for all ages 6 months and older is an additional public health tool to help protect our children, our loved ones, and vulnerable community members."

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 and the additional EAU approved Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is available at other locations; check with your child's health care provider or visit Vaccines.gov to find a vaccine near you. For more information or if you need assistance scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, call 845-238-1956 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday (except holidays).

For any concerns, talk to your child's pediatrician. Click here to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines for children.