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Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine available at Naval Hospital Bremerton

12 November 2021

From Douglas Stutz

Nolan Uniszkiewicz, age 11, along with his younger 8-year old sister Sophie, hope to see their grandparents this upcoming holiday season.They made a concerted jab – and received one in return - towards that familial goal by being amongst the first children ages 5 to 11 to be administered the COVID-19 vaccine at Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB).“They
Nolan Uniszkiewicz, age 11, along with his younger 8-year old sister Sophie, hope to see their grandparents this upcoming holiday season.

They made a concerted jab – and received one in return - towards that familial goal by being amongst the first children ages 5 to 11 to be administered the COVID-19 vaccine at Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB).

“They also got the vaccine to keep others safe and so they don’t have to miss school,” explained their father, Cmdr. Rob Uniszkiewicz, NHB Public Health Emergency Officer and COVID-19 working group head.

NHB is offering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 to all eligible beneficiaries age five and older.

“(I) know masks help prevent COVID but you can’t even recognize kids and you miss out on parties, field trips and seeing relatives,” said Nolan.

“It is hard to be three feet away from your friends all the time, and you can’t even high-five anyone,” Sophie added.

NHB is holding pediatric vaccination clinics by appointment only for children ages 5-11 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Immunization Clinic on second floor of Family Medicine wing, in conjunction with authorization (under emergency use) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“By holding the clinics in the late afternoon/early evening timeframe, we’re trying to accommodate as many families as we can to help protect their children against this highly infectious disease, as well as reduce disruptions to being back in school and being able to participate in normal school-year activities. Getting children vaccinated helps to curb transmission and reduces risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and any long-term COVID-19 complications,” stated Uniszkiewicz.

A parent/guardian must accompany any child getting a vaccine, as is the case for all eligible beneficiaries under the age of 18. To schedule for a COVID-19 pediatric vaccine appointment at NHB, please call the Puget Sound Military Appointment Center, 1-800-404-4506 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, or visit the online booking tool:
https://informatics-stage.health.mil/BremertonCOVIDApp

The Academy of Pediatrics, as well as CDC, recommend that children be vaccinated against COVID-19 when they are eligible to help protect themselves from severe illness and as an important step in ending the pandemic. While oftentimes children with COVID-19 may not end up getting as sick as adults, they are still at risk for severe illness and can spread the virus to other children and adults who may experience severe illness.

For those parents unsure whether the vaccine is right for your children, NHB recommends for parents to discuss – including any existing medical condition(s) and any prior reaction(s) – with their medical provider/primary care manager.

Children receiving the vaccine may experience the same side effects as an adult would. Common side effects include a sore arm, fatigue, headache, fever, or chills lasting up to 48 hours after vaccination. These side effects are normal and show that the body is mounting an appropriate response to the vaccine to protect against the virus. A lack of side effects does not mean that the vaccine is not working. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain the virus and cannot give your child COVID-19.

The vaccine for children 5 through 11 years of age is administered as a two-dose primary series, three weeks apart. It is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms). Full protection is achieved two weeks after the second dose. This means it would take five weeks for your child to achieve full protection. Scheduling an appointment now will ensure your child is protected as soon as possible.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine pediatric formulation for children ages 5 to 11 years was nearly 91 percent effective at preventing symptomatic infections during clinical trials while the Delta variant was widespread. While severe illness is less common in children, some children do become severely ill and longer-term impacts of COVID-19 infection are unknown.

The latest compiled statistics show that there has been approximately 700 childhood deaths related to the pandemic.

Fast Facts:
• Individuals 12 years old and older should continue to use the current Pfizer/Comirnaty product for adults and adolescents. The original Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine should not be used in children 5-11 years old. Both vaccines are available at Naval Hospital Bremerton. To book your COVID-19 vaccine at NHB, please visit our online booking tool (https://informatics-stage.health.mil/BremertonCOVIDApp) and make an appointment.
• The pediatric formulation will be a two-dose primary series, with the doses given three weeks apart.
• Even children who have had, and recovered from, COVID-19 should be vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is a safe way to build protection.
• Consent from a parent or guardian is required before those younger than age 18 years can be vaccinated.


COVID-19 Vaccine
Authorized For Pfizer-BioNTech Moderna J&J/Janssen
4 years and under No No No
5-11 years old Yes No No
12-17 years old Yes No No
18 years and older Yes Yes Yes

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