NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana children age 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
All vaccine providers in Louisiana can immediately begin giving out the Pfizer pediatric vaccine.
“This is exactly the news we’ve been waiting to hear, and I’m especially glad that the best protection we have against COVID-19 is now being afforded to our children ages 5-11,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards in a statement. “I want to encourage parents and guardians to talk with their children’s pediatricians, get their questions answered, and to make an informed decision. This not only impacts our children but also their teachers, schools, friends, family members, and communities. The more people who are vaccinated the greater our opportunity to put this pandemic behind us. We know this virus affects children, and as adults, we have an obligation and responsibility to make sure they stay as healthy as possible, which includes making sure they are vaccinated against what has proven to be a virus that can cause severe illness and worse in people of all ages.
Parental consent is needed for any child under the age of 18 to get the shot. Parents can find the LDH consent form at ldh.la.gov/Covid-19K-12.
Families can call 211 or the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-453-0774 with general questions or get directions to the nearest location that has the COVID-19 pediatric vaccine.
LDH reported 9 pediatric deaths tied to the recent Delta surge and a total of 18 children in Louisiana have died of COVID since the pandemic began.
According to the FDA, at least 94 children ages 5 to 11 have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and 8,300 have been hospitalized
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