St. Charles Family Care clinics to begin offering COVID-19 vaccine next week for kids 6 months and older

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon’s youngest children can begin receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at St. Charles Family Care clinics, starting next Monday.

The vaccine is free and can be given to children 6 months to 4 years of age. Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling a Family Care clinic or via the MyChart patient portal.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved COVID-19 vaccination for young children who are at least 6 months old.

“This is important progress in our fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Cynthia Maree, St. Charles’ medical director of infection prevention. “Vaccines continue to be effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization. In children, they also help prevent multisystem inflammatory syndrome and may prevent long COVID.”

The Food and Drug Administration gave the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization because clinical trials—which included more than 4,500 children and continued during different phases of the Omicron wave—proved it is safe and effective. The FDA also gave emergency use authorization for the Moderna vaccine, but for efficiency, St. Charles is only offering the Pfizer vaccine.

For the 6-months to 4-years-old age group, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered in three doses, with two doses spaced three weeks apart and followed by a third dose at least two months later. Each shot has less vaccine in it than the dosage for older children and adults. Vaccination is considered most effective seven days after the third dose.

“COVID-19 is still in Central Oregon and is still a threat to our children,” Maree said. “I strongly recommend parents discuss vaccination with their pediatrician if they have more questions.”

To schedule an appointment:

• Bend East Family Care Clinic
  2600 Northeast Neff Road

541-706-4800

• Bend South Family Care Clinic
  61250 Southeast Coombs Place

541-706-5935

• La Pine Family Care Clinic
  51781 Huntington Road

541-907-7040

• Madras Family Care Clinic
  480 Northeast A Street

541-475-4800

• Prineville Family Care Clinic
  384 Southeast Combs Flat Road

541-447-6263

• Redmond Family Care Clinic
  211 Northwest Larch Avenue

541-548-2164