Vaccinations for children aged five to 11 commence today with parents and carers urged to book their children an appointment as soon as possible.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) will be made available for the roughly 720,000 children in that age group across NSW.
“More than 18,000 kids aged five to 11 have caught COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, which highlights why vaccination is so important,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We saw a great vaccination response for children aged 12-15 years, so we hope parents will book in their younger children before they start or go back to school.
“I want to also encourage anyone who has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccination to do so. This includes adults who had their second dose four months ago and are now due for a booster.”
Children aged five to 11 will be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccine in a range of centres and local community settings including general practitioners, community pharmacies, NSW Health clinics and other providers such as Aboriginal Medical Services.
NSW Health has so far delivered more than 326,027 booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines, in support of the Federal Government’s vaccine program.
People aged 18 years and older can get a booster at least four months after receiving their second dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines registered for use in Australia.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said most parents have always embraced the public health messaging which has helped lift our childhood vaccination rates across NSW.
“Whether it be measles or whooping cough or Pneumococcal or Hepatitis B, parents in NSW have always listened to the science to help protect their kids,” Mr Hazzard said.
“No one wants to see their child in hospital and the best way we can safeguard our kids against COVID-19 and importantly, the elderly around them, is to get them vaccinated.”
NSW Chief Paediatrician Dr Matthew O’Meara said parents should protect their children against the risks of getting COVID-19.
“Everyone who can get vaccinated should get vaccinated whether they’re healthy or not, and it’s especially important for kids who have underlying medical problems or are above a healthy weight.”
Bookings can be made at a NSW Health clinic, GP or pharmacy via the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder.