The city of Boston will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children ages 5 to 11, Mayor Kim Janey announced Friday afternoon.The family clinics will begin next week in Boston’s Mattapan, Dorchester, Hyde Park and Roslindale neighborhoods, where officials have seen some of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the city. Those clinics will be open through the end of the year.Janey said the vaccine clinics will also offer first and second doses to residents who are 12 and older, as well as booster shots to anyone who is eligible to receive them.In addition, the mayor said many health providers in Boston — including hospitals, community health centers and pharmacies — will be offering vaccinations for residents ages 5 and older.”We encourage parents and guardians to check in with their health care provider with any questions about the vaccine. The vaccine is the best way to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Janey said. Janey’s update come a few days after Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker said more than 500 locations across Massachusetts will offer Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children.Available locations for the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 include pharmacies, primary care practices, local boards of health, community health centers, state-supported vaccination sites and mobile clinics.Parents can make appointments through their child’s health care provider, and appointments at hundreds of other sites are available on VaxFinder.mass.gov, Baker said.CVS and Walgreens said their pharmacists would begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations to children between the ages of 5 and 11 this weekend and are already accepting appointments.Some doses of the kid-size vaccine had already distributed to pediatricians’ offices and local pharmacists in Massachusetts, some of which began administering shots as early as Wednesday. Information about the family COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be posted to Boston.gov. Residents can also call 311 or the mayor’s health line at 617-534-5050 (toll-free at 1-800-847-0710) to get additional information, times or locations of the vaccine clinics.Boston Public Schools will be hosting an “ask a doctor” information session regarding the COVID-19 vaccine on Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Families can also learn more about the vaccine by visiting bostonpublicschools.org/vaccines.Flu season warningDuring her news conference, Janey also urged senior Boston residents to get the flu vaccine before the winter surge.According to the CDC, flu season begins in October and peaks between December and February.”Some experts are concerned about a worse, more severe flu season this year, so getting the flu shot is that much more important,” Janey said.Mask mandate to remain in placeIn addition, Janey said that she will be keeping the city’s indoor mask mandate — which went into effect in late August — in place in her final days as mayor of Boston.According to Janey, the citywide COVID-19 positivity rate has remained stable at 2.1% over the past few weeks.”Masks are very effective in helping us slow the spread of transmission in terms of COVID,” Janey said. “We need to continue to do what works, particularly as we work hard to get our youngest residents vaccinated.”Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu is scheduled to be sworn into office on Nov. 16.
BOSTON —
The city of Boston will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children ages 5 to 11, Mayor Kim Janey announced Friday afternoon.
The family clinics will begin next week in Boston’s Mattapan, Dorchester, Hyde Park and Roslindale neighborhoods, where officials have seen some of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the city. Those clinics will be open through the end of the year.
Janey said the vaccine clinics will also offer first and second doses to residents who are 12 and older, as well as booster shots to anyone who is eligible to receive them.
In addition, the mayor said many health providers in Boston — including hospitals, community health centers and pharmacies — will be offering vaccinations for residents ages 5 and older.
“We encourage parents and guardians to check in with their health care provider with any questions about the vaccine. The vaccine is the best way to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Janey said.
Janey’s update come a few days after Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker said more than 500 locations across Massachusetts will offer Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children.
Available locations for the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 include pharmacies, primary care practices, local boards of health, community health centers, state-supported vaccination sites and mobile clinics.
Parents can make appointments through their child’s health care provider, and appointments at hundreds of other sites are available on VaxFinder.mass.gov, Baker said.
CVS and Walgreens said their pharmacists would begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations to children between the ages of 5 and 11 this weekend and are already accepting appointments.
Some doses of the kid-size vaccine had already distributed to pediatricians’ offices and local pharmacists in Massachusetts, some of which began administering shots as early as Wednesday.
Information about the family COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be posted to Boston.gov. Residents can also call 311 or the mayor’s health line at 617-534-5050 (toll-free at 1-800-847-0710) to get additional information, times or locations of the vaccine clinics.
Boston Public Schools will be hosting an “ask a doctor” information session regarding the COVID-19 vaccine on Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Families can also learn more about the vaccine by visiting bostonpublicschools.org/vaccines.
Flu season warning
During her news conference, Janey also urged senior Boston residents to get the flu vaccine before the winter surge.
According to the CDC, flu season begins in October and peaks between December and February.
“Some experts are concerned about a worse, more severe flu season this year, so getting the flu shot is that much more important,” Janey said.
Mask mandate to remain in place
In addition, Janey said that she will be keeping the city’s indoor mask mandate — which went into effect in late August — in place in her final days as mayor of Boston.
According to Janey, the citywide COVID-19 positivity rate has remained stable at 2.1% over the past few weeks.
“Masks are very effective in helping us slow the spread of transmission in terms of COVID,” Janey said. “We need to continue to do what works, particularly as we work hard to get our youngest residents vaccinated.”
Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu is scheduled to be sworn into office on Nov. 16.