Texas Children’s Hospital To Begin Safely Administering Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine to Children Aged 5-11

Hospital also partnering with community organizations to host vaccine clinics and virtual town halls for parents

HOUSTON (Nov. 2, 2021) – Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 3, Texas Children’s Hospital will begin administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 5-11, following FDA Emergency-Use Authorization and recommendations for safe administration from the CDC.  

Texas Children’s commends the FDA and CDC on this monumental step toward further protecting our children, bringing the COVID-19 vaccine closer to approximately 28 million children across the nation. Vaccinating 5-11-year-old children will offer them critical protection against COVID-19 infection and the potential long-term consequences from this dangerous infection. In addition, pediatric vaccination will help offer further protection for the parents, grandparents, teachers and other caregivers in close proximity to school-aged children. 

Parents and caregivers seeking to vaccinate their 5-11-year-old children can schedule a free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine  through the hospital’s COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments scheduler. Free valet or validated parking is provided for families visiting Texas Children’s Texas Medical Center, The Woodlands, and West campuses for this vaccine.

In its continued effort to help drive equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in the region, Texas Children’s is partnering with local community leaders and organizations to host vaccine clinics at their sites and educational town halls, in a collective effort to overcome barriers among medically underserved communities. For more information on town halls and to learn more about how to join the conversation, please visit Texas Children’s Facebook page. Parents who wish for their eligible children to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at one of eight current Texas Children’s community vaccination sites can visit the hospital’s COVID-19 Hub for the nearest location and to schedule an appointment.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the greatest line of defense for parents in protecting their children from this persistent virus,” said Mark A. Wallace, President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital. “With today’s recommendation by the CDC, we have a long-awaited, highly effective, and life-saving weapon in our ongoing fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus in pediatric patients.”

As the largest pediatric hospital in the country, Texas Children’s is ideally suited and well equipped to safely administer the vaccine to eligible children in the community. As a part of Texas Children’s’ robust vaccination initiative, the hospital has created a multi-lane system for scheduling and administration of various vaccine doses, consistent color coding across vaccine sites for visual control, along with child-friendly characters and settings with engaging activities and entertainment for an enhanced patient experience.

“I commend the FDA and CDC on their endorsement of an Emergency-Use Authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11-year-old children,” said Julie Boom, M.D., Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Immunization Project and Co-Chair of the Texas Children’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. “The expansion of the vaccine for this age group is a monumental step toward further protecting our community from this deadly virus. The COVID-19 vaccine is the safest and most effective way to protect our families and the community, and I strongly encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.”

As a participating hospital in Pfizer’s COVID-19 pediatric clinical trials for children aged six months to 11 years, Texas Children’s continues to deliver on its commitment to safely vaccinate millions of children across the world.

To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and Texas Children’s equitable vaccination efforts, please visit the Texas Children's COVID-19 Vaccine Hub.

About Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO for children; has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country, Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.