Wisconsin to Offer COVID-19 Vaccinations to Children Ages 5-11

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announces that children 5-11 years old are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart for full protection, and is the first and only vaccine currently available for this age group.
Vaccinations for this age group will begin as soon as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases the associated clinical guidance and vaccinators are able to review and complete the necessary trainings. It is important that parents and guardians are patient as Wisconsin vaccinators take the necessary steps to be properly informed and trained before beginning vaccination.
After successful clinical trials and a rigorous review of all available data, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer’s request to expand the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include children ages 5-11 on October 29, 2021. On November 2, 2021, the CDC Director officially confirmed the vaccine is safe and recommended the vaccine to this age group. Disease activity remains very high across Wisconsin. Children and youth under 18 continue to represent the highest number of new confirmed cases (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/cases.htm#by%20age) compared to other age groups. COVID-19, particularly the Delta variant, can have a serious impact on your child’s health. Infection with the Delta variant has resulted in nearly three times the number of children in the hospital in the U.S. since early summer. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1,600 Wisconsinites under 20 years old have been hospitalized with COVID-19. Vaccination is a safe and critical tool in both combating further COVID-19 illness among children and stopping the spread in our communities.
Parents and guardians of children ages 5-11 can schedule a vaccination using a variety of options, including with their health care provider, at community-based vaccination clinics, local and tribal health departments, or pharmacies. To locate a provider administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/search. Parents and guardians can learn more by visiting the COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Guardians page at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/parents.htm or by calling 844-684-1064 toll-free.
For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.