Press Releases
10/12/2022
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani issues statement on updated COVID-19 boosters for children as young as age 5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct.12, 2022
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
HARTFORD, Conn—On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the Emergency Use Authorization issued by the Food and Drug Administration for the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster for children as young as age 5.
The EUA includes the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine being approved for children 5- through 11-years-old, and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine approved for children ages 6- through 17-years-old. As with the updated boosters that were made available in early September, these vaccines should be administered at least two months following primary or booster vaccination.
These updated boosters may be available from providers now, depending upon the manufacturer. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has already provided updated booster guidance and ordering information to providers, including pediatrician practices, hospitals/health networks and pharmacies.
The timing of these approved updated boosters couldn’t be better. Respiratory viruses circulate during the colder months and with people spending more time indoors, now is the time to receive an extra level of protection which targets these variants and prevents transmission of this virus.
These updated COVID-19 vaccines provide an immune response that is protective against the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants. I encourage parents to consider getting an updated booster for their eligible children. Parents have many options for where to get a COVID-19 vaccine for their children including:
- Pediatricians’ offices: Pediatricians will be administering COVID-19 vaccines across Connecticut. However, not all pediatricians will have the COVID-19 vaccine, so if your child’s provider doesn’t offer the updated COVID-19 booster, please refer to one of the other options provided.
- Pharmacies: There will be hundreds of pharmacy locations that are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children. Pharmacies provide a safe, convenient, and easy location to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, pharmacies have provided special trainings for their pharmacist staff to administer vaccines for younger children.
- Other locations: In addition to the above, several health systems and local health departments will be offering the updated COVID-19 boosters for children.
- DPH Yellow Van Clinics:DPH organizes mobile, COVID-19 vaccine clinics through its Yellow Vans program. The updated clinic schedule can be found here or by visiting ct.gov/coronavirus.
- Residents also are encouraged to visit vaccines.gov to find a convenient location for the updated booster.
Our state has a full set of effective tools to combat COVID-19 -- including vaccines and boosters, masking as needed, Test to Treat locations, therapeutics, self-tests and state-supported testing -- and we encourage residents to use these tools to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and curb the severity of illness.
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