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LA County Begins COVID Booster Shots For Children Ages 5 To 11
Thirty percent of children 5-to-11 in L.A. County are fully vaccinated. Now they are eligible for a booster shot.
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Ashley Balderrama for LAist
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for LAist
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Any child who received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine before December 20 is now eligible for a booster. Los Angeles County vaccine sites are administering the shots after federal health officials approved the additional dose for that age group last week.
Thirty percent of children ages 5 to 11 in L.A. County are fully vaccinated, making more than 255,000 children likely eligible for this booster dose.
“While vaccines offer significant protection from severe illness, we also know that like with other vaccines and medications over time, our bodies need a boost to remain highly protected,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer at a press conference last week. “We also know that in L.A. County over the past month, cases among children 5 to 11 increased 264%. This is a faster rate of increase than what we saw in young adults ages 18 to 49 where the increase was 116%.”
Health officials are hoping children get vaccinated or boosted before summer break. Reported COVID-19 cases in California and L.A. County are rising to levels not seen since February.
Get your questions about children and COVID-19 answered on June 8. The live virtual event will feature experts addressing COVID-19 in children and teenagers. RSVP here.
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