Where can kids get a COVID shot in Florida? Walgreens, CVS, Navarro offering first ones
Walgreens and CVS Health and Navarro have started to schedule Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Florida for children as young as 5, with the first shots this weekend.
Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más will also offer the shots by appointment at select stores starting on Saturday. Some may also accept walk-ins depending on supply.
Other retail pharmacies — including Publix and Walmart — as well as county-run sites and some pediatrician offices and children’s hospitals are expected to have shots available soon. This includes Nicklaus Children’s Hospital near South Miami, Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Health System in Miami, and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood.
Baptist Health of South Florida, which has a children’s hospital, says it won’t be administering the vaccine for kids.
The Florida Department of Health in Broward, which is planning to offer the vaccine at its sites across the county soon, is also working with Broward County Public Schools to offer in-school vaccinations.
The news of shots for kids in Florida comes right after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the two-dose series for kids ages 5 to 11. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the vaccine’s emergency use authorization to include this age group.
Pfizer is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized for kids this young. The shot already has emergency use authorization for children 12 to 15 and has full FDA approval for people 16 and older.
Children ages 5 to 11 will be given two small doses — a third of the amount given to teens and adults — three weeks apart. The kid vaccine will be in a vial with an orange label and lid while the vaccine for teens and adults is in a vial with a purple label and lid.
Some children may experience side effects such as fever, fatigue and pain in the area of the arm where the shot was given. They usually go away in a few days.
Based on how Florida vaccine sites have given vaccinations to older children, kids 5 to 11 will need to have a parent or legal guardian with them at the vaccination. The child’s parent or legal guardian will also have to sign a consent form.
How to schedule a COVID vaccine for kids
Parents who want to schedule a vaccination for their child at Walgreens should visit Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine or call 800-WALGREENS. The first available appointments for kids 5 to 11 will be on Saturday.
“Walgreens pharmacy team members have significant experience vaccinating children and adolescents, and are ready to immunize this newly eligible population safely and as quickly as possible,” said Kevin Ban, Walgreens’ chief medical officer. “The COVID-19 vaccine is just as important to protect children as other routine immunizations are, and the expanded eligibility will help children stay in school safely and prevent severe illness due to COVID-19.”
To schedule an appointment through CVS Health, which owns Navarro Discount Pharmacies, CVS y más and traditional CVS stores, visit CVS.com or the CVS app to schedule an appointment. The first available appointments for kids 5 to 11 will be on Sunday.
To schedule an appointment through Winn-Dixie, visit winndixie.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine. For Fresco y Más, visit frescoymas.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine.
Walmart, which owns Sam’s Club, says it will start administering the vaccine at select stores later this week.
“As a parent of two school-aged kids, with a husband who teaches, I understand the daily uncertainty parents around the country have been living with,” said Lisa Smith, Walmart USA senior director of Clinical Strategy and Operations. “We’ve dealt with remote learning, hybrid learning and concerns about classroom safety. Many schools reopened this fall but have dealt with interruptions and closings because of COVID-19 outbreaks, so for many, this authorization brings a big sigh of relief.”
Publix also plans to administer the shots at select stores in the next few days once its batch of kid-size vaccines arrive.
This article will be updated with other vaccine sites as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 11:18 AM.
