St. Charles Family Care clinics to start offering COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months and older
Central Oregon’s youngest children can begin receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at St. Charles Family Care clinics starting Monday, June 27.
The vaccine is free and can be given to children 6 months to 4 years of age. Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling a Family Care clinic or via the MyChart patient portal.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved COVID-19 vaccination for young children who are at least 6 months old.
“This is important progress in our fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Cynthia Maree, St. Charles’ medical director of infection prevention. “Vaccines continue to be effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization. In children, they also help prevent multisystem inflammatory syndrome and may prevent long COVID.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization because clinical trials—which included more than 4,500 children and continued during different phases of the Omicron wave—proved it is safe and effective. The FDA also gave emergency use authorization for the Moderna vaccine, but for efficiency, St. Charles is only offering the Pfizer vaccine.
For the 6-months to 4-years-old age group, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered in three doses, with two doses spaced three weeks apart and followed by a third dose at least two months later. Each shot has less vaccine in it than the dosage for older children and adults. Vaccination is considered most effective seven days after the third dose.
“COVID-19 is still in Central Oregon and is still a threat to our children,” Maree said. “I strongly recommend parents discuss vaccination with their pediatrician if they have more questions.”
To schedule an appointment:
Bend East Family Care Clinic
2600 Northeast Neff Road
541-706-4800
Bend South Family Care Clinic
61250 Southeast Coombs Place
541-706-5935
La Pine Family Care Clinic
51781 Huntington Road
541-907-7040
Madras Family Care Clinic
480 Northeast A Street
541-475-4800
Prineville Family Care Clinic
384 Southeast Combs Flat Road
541-447-6263
Redmond Family Care Clinic
211 Northwest Larch Avenue
541-548-2164
Sisters School-Based Health Center
535 N Reed Street
541-526-6623
About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,500 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.
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