Online Appointments Available Soon for Children Ages 5-11 and for Booster Shots
Three Saint Alphonsus Pediatric Clinics will soon start accepting appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations for children between ages 5 and 11. The FDA and CDC have approved administering the Pfizer vaccine to children in that age group to protect them against the virus.
Appointments can be made online starting the week of November 8 for these clinics: Boise (1072 N. Liberty Street), Caldwell (315 E. Elm Street) and Nampa - Garrity (1150 N. Sister Catherine Way) by visiting www.saintalphonsus.org/vaccine. Schedules are dependent on vaccine supplies.
“Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 is a real game changer,” said Dr. Mark Nassir, President of the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group. “These vaccines have been proven safe and effective in children 12 and older, and approval of COVID vaccines helps protect school-age children from the virus and helps protect their parents and older relatives. We expect to expand our availability of vaccines in the near future, and encourage everyone to get vaccinated, whether they go to Saint Alphonsus or somewhere else in the community.”
Saint Alphonsus continues to offer third “booster” doses of the Pfizer vaccine for eligible patients (those 65 years and older, people 18 years + who live in long-term care settings, those with underlying medical conditions or people who work or live in high-risk settings). Eligible individuals are urged to contact their primary care provider for individual guidance as medically indicated. Appointments for Saint Alphonsus patients can be made online at the www.saintalphonsus.org/vaccine website.
Third doses can be given six months after the second dose has been administered. Proof of prior vaccination (vaccine card) is required to receive the booster.
While Saint Alphonsus Medical Group clinics are only offering the Pfizer vaccine at this time, MedNow Pharmacies located at the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center campus in Boise, at the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group Eagle Health Plaza in Eagle and on the Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa campus offer both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. All three approved vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) are now widely available in Idaho and Oregon and patients are encouraged to appointments with Saint Alphonsus’ vaccine partner Albertsons at one of their conveniently located pharmacies.