You are reading

City to Start Vaccinating Children 5 to 11 for COVID-19 Starting Thursday

COVID-19 Vaccine (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

Nov. 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin

New York City will be ready to vaccinate children five to 11 years old for COVID-19 at city-run sites starting Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.

Children as young as five will be able to get a pediatric dose of the Pfizer vaccine at city-run sites beginning Nov. 4. The announcement comes one day after the FDA and CDC approved the shot for youngsters under 12.

“Tomorrow’s going to be a historic day for the city in our fight against COVID as we reach our youngest New Yorkers,” de Blasio said during a press conference. “So, city-run sites will be up and running, ready to go.”

The city will also utilize school buildings to get the shot into more children’s arms. Starting Monday, Nov. 8, each public school that serves children five- to 11-years-old will host a one-day vaccination drive on campus.

“Every school will have one day that’s their vaccination day – easy, convenient, free, as always,” de Blasio said.

The drives will be held in schools across the five boroughs on a rolling basis, de Blasio said.

A parent or guardian must provide consent in order for a child to be vaccinated.

Children under age 12 will receive a lower dose of the Pfizer vaccine than adults—with a smaller needle. Like adults, they will need to get two doses approximately three weeks apart.

City health officials said that children generally face milder side effects from vaccinations than adults—if any at all.

“In general, children bounce back much faster than adults,” said Dr. Mitch Katz, president of city’s public hospital system. “And I think the side effects that we will see will be very minimal and probably, for most kids, just be a little bit of pain in the arm and a few tears during the time of getting the shot.”

While children have been less vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection, there have been more than 8,300 coronavirus-related hospitalizations of kids five- to 11-years-old — with a third requiring intensive care in the U.S., the Associated Press reported, citing government data.

The CDC has also recorded at least 94 fatalities related to COVID-19 in the same age group.

To make an appointment at a city-run vaccine site, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. Only sites that offer the Pfizer vaccine can administer shots to children 11 and younger.

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have yet to get approval for usage in kids.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

With US Open done, Kantu serves up winning brunch in Forest Hills

Sep. 9, 2025 By Claude Solnik

Brunch, or at least breakfast, is a fairly common offering across New York City restaurants. And these morning meals often follow basic rules and menus with fairly similar offerings such as eggs, traditional omelets and maybe a Mimosa. When it comes to good food and, in particular, brunches that depart from the usual, Kantu really can do.

Rego Park sex offender pleads guilty to charges of sexually exploiting young girls on Long Island: Feds

A convicted sex offender from Rego Park pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and admitted to soliciting and receiving sexually explicit images and videos from four young girls during a plea hearing in the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Friday. Anthony Pangallo, 41, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and up to 50 years in prison.

According to court filings and statements during the plea proceeding, Pangallo was initially arrested on May 20, 2021, at his Rego Park residence, on state charges filed in Westport, Connecticut. Those charges, which remain pending, involved a 15-year-old victim whom Pangallo met online and manipulated into sending him sexually explicit images of herself.