The governor of Connecticut has recently updated it’s timeline for vaccine eligibility. The new update suggests that all Connecticut residents over the age of 16 will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine starting tentatively April 5th. We understand that many of you have questions regarding the vaccine, its safety, and how to secure a vaccine for your child.

At this time, our office will not be carrying any of the COVID-19 vaccines. All children who live in Connecticut and are under the age of 19 receive their vaccines as part of the Connecticut Vaccine Program, which is a state and federally funded program that provides vaccines to all children at no cost. Vaccines are allocated to our office and not currently available for private purchase. If at any time our office is provided vaccines to dispense, we will update our Facebook page and our website to make our patients aware. Please follow us on Facebook for all up-to-date announcements.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine to prevent COVID-19 for people 16 years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for children 18 and older. There are no approved vaccines for children under 16, however trials are ongoing. Overall, these vaccines have been shown to be safe.

If you have questions regarding your child receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, we ask that you schedule a telemedicine visit with your doctor to discuss individual questions.

For more information on the vaccine, please refer to the CDC or the following resources:

https://discoveries.childrenshospital.org/covid-19-vaccines-differences/?

Information regarding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine:

http://answers.childrenshospital.org

Information from Yale’s Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Thomas Murray:

https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/vaccine/kids-and-the-vaccine.aspx

We thank all of our patients and families for the tremendous efforts they have taken to continue to keep themselves and their communities safe. Please remember to keep washing your hands, maintaining social distancing and wearing your mask (along with a smile!).