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Dear Children’s Cabinet Partners:
I’m excited to share that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for use in children age 5 to 11 years old, and CDC recommends that all children in this age group get vaccinated. This means vaccinations can now begin.
The state has mobilized a diverse network of providers around the state – hospitals, clinics, local public health, Tribal health agencies, pharmacies, school located clinics and state-run community clinics – to administer vaccines to our children as quickly as possible. Minnesota providers have ordered as many doses as possible from the federal government. Doses will arrive in waves this week, with most providers receiving their vaccines by this weekend or early next week.
The state’s main goal is to ensure that the vaccine is widely, equitably, and efficiently available to all Minnesotans age 5 to 11.
In response to community feedback and to meet families where they are, Minnesota’s statewide vaccination plan offers a variety of locations and experiences to get kids their shots, including primary care providers; federally qualified health centers; local public health agencies; tribal health agencies; Indian Health Service locations; pharmacies; schools; community pop-up clinics; and the State of Minnesota Vaccination Site at the Mall of America.
To get their vaccine, Minnesota families can:
- Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids to find clinic locations near you.
- Check with their pediatrician, family medicine clinic, or pharmacy about appointments.
- Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at schools or other community locations around Minnesota.
Below is a template letter to families that explains the authorization process of these vaccines and how families can get their shot.
Thank you in advance for sharing and please reach out with any questions or requests. You know best what your community needs, and we are here to help provide you with resources.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Erin Bailey | Assistant Commissioner and Executive Director of the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet
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Subject: Now Recommended: COVID-19 Vaccine for 5- to 11-Year-Olds
Hello there!
The time we’ve been waiting for is here! The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for use in children age 5 to 11 years old, and CDC recommends that all children in this age group get vaccinated.
In their review, the FDA, CDC and independent advisory committees have all found Pfizer vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds is safe for children. It has been carefully studied in children ages 5 to 11 years old, just like it was for people 12 and older. This process is called a clinical trial and all authorized vaccines have gone through it. Only vaccines shown to be safe and effective are authorized to be used.
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children and it is highly effective at preventing severe illness. The vaccine will help protect your child, family, friends, and loved ones from COVID-19, and it will help them stay safe during school, sports, and other social activities.
The State of Minnesota has been preparing for the vaccine’s authorization for 5- to 11-year-olds, and has mobilized a diverse group of providers around the state. Hospitals, clinics, local public health, Tribal health agencies, pharmacies, school located clinics and state-run community clinics are preparing to administer vaccines to our children as quickly as possible.
To get their vaccine, Minnesota families can:
- Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids to find clinic locations near you.
- Check with their pediatrician, family medicine clinic, or pharmacy about appointments.
- Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at schools or other community locations around Minnesota.
All-in-all this is great news for our kids. As the Delta variant drives a fourth wave of cases in the state, we know that kids aren’t immune from the severe effects of COVID-19. Since the end of summer, pediatric cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled. Between July 1 and October 26, there have been more than 45,200 pediatric cases and more than 300 child hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in Minnesota. We also know that serious COVID-19 cases can occur in healthy children (about 25% of COVID-19 pediatric deaths in the U.S. have occurred in healthy children) and common underlying conditions like asthma and obesity can put kids at an even greater risk of severe illness.
Now is the time to vaccinate your children age 5 and older. If you have questions about vaccines, your pediatrician or family physician can be an excellent source of information. You can also get more information from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids, the state’s new web page for parents on COVID-19 vaccine for children and teens to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and where to get your child vaccinated.
We all want a world in which our kids can just be kids again—the vaccine helps get us there.
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