Youths expected to be eligible for vaccine
By Gig Conaughton
County of San Diego Communications Office
(May 12, 2021) San Diego County officials said Wednesday that they fully expect 12-to-15 year old youths to be able to start getting vaccinated Thursday with Pfizer vaccines, pending the expected approval Wednesday night by the Western States Scientific Safety Review and California Department of Public Health.
County officials also reported just 94 new COVID-19 cases, the first time new cases dipped below 100 in nearly a year. It marked the lowest number of new cases since the County reported 73 cases on May 31, 2020.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the advisory committee to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approved the Pfizer vaccine for 12-to-15 year old youths Wednesday afternoon, clearing the way for the Western States Scientific Safety Review to review and approve it as well.
County officials said the County has access to enough Pfizer vaccine to provide vaccinations for all the 175,864 12-to-15 year olds in San Diego County.
Parents, and youths 12-15 years of age with parental approvals, can begin making appointments or walking into County clinics Thursday morning, or possibly late tonight, to receive shots. The My Turn online appointment system will not be updated until after the Western State’s working group issues its approval.
The County plans to post information about how to schedule appointments and what types of documentation youths will need to get vaccinated tonight on its COVID-19 web site.
County officials said people should not walk into the County’s mobile clinics without first confirming the location has the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only one approved so far for 12-to-15 year old youth. Most mobile clinics feature the J&J/Janssen vaccine.
“This is an exciting milestone in our efforts to help people get vaccinated,” said County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. “Already, nearly half of our 16 and older population in San Diego County have become fully vaccinated. This is going to allow our 12-to-15 year old population to become protected as well and let them and their families feel safer.”