A slow response was seen at the Gilmer County Health Department during its first full week offering COVID-19 vaccinations for children age 5-11.
Only seven COVID vaccinations were given for that age group from Nov. 8-15, confirmed Jennifer King, North Georgia Health District public information officer.
Availability of the vaccine for the elementary school-age group follows recent expansion of Pfizer’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for ages 5-11, and input from the Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration and Georgia Public Health. Currently, Pfizer is the only brand of COVID vaccine available for the youngest age group.
King said, although health departments in the six-county north Georgia district would like to see more children brought in to be vaccinated, one reason for the initially low numbers could be that more parents are consulting with their pediatricians or other private health care providers for the child vaccinations.
“In the beginning, health departments were the leading agency for providing the COVID-19 vaccines. Now, this is a whole new ball game with children. We don’t know what kind of demand the private providers are getting. Usually, people do want to take their children to their own doctors for something like this,” she added.
During the first week of availability, only two COVID vaccines for ages 5-11 were given in Cherokee, the North Georgia Health District’s most populated county, King noted. In the district’s second largest county, Whitfield, 83 children age 5-11 received the COVID vaccine through the health department, she added.
Official numbers showing the total number of Georgia’s 5-11 year olds vaccinated thus far have not been released yet, King noted.
“We’re kind of waiting to see the direction this is taking, and we really won’t know until we’re able to see the numbers from the state level as to who all is getting vaccinated in that age group,” she added.
COVID vaccinations for children and adults are available at the local health department on a walk-in basis, confirmed Krystal Sumner, nurse manager.
“Kids are in school, so, hopefully, we will see (more) come in with the Thanksgiving holidays,” said Sumner.
Vaccination hours for all ages, including 5-11, at the Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church Street, are as follows: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m., Tuesday: 7:30-11 a.m. and 1-6:30 p.m., Friday: 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
King said a 15-30 minute observation period for children follows the COVID vaccination to make sure of no immediate allergic reactions.