MISSOULA — Vaccine providers in Missoula County report that at least 2,000 children have received — or have appointments to receive — their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the first week it’s been available for ages 5 to 11.
Officials with the Missoula City-County Health Department (MCCHD), Community Medical Center (CMC), Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS), and the Curry Health Center at the University of Montana say vaccine clinics are filling up quickly.
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The news comes after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended last week that children ages 5 and older receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Appointments are still available, and parents can find an overview of vaccine options available in Missoula County here. Health providers and medical professionals are encouraging parents who are not sure if they want to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19 to talk to their pediatricians.
Families with questions or concerns about the vaccine can also call CMC's free Nurse on Call Line at (406) 327-4770 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. through Thursday, Nov. 18. Pediatricians are volunteering their time those evenings to answer questions about the vaccine for ages 5 and older.
MCCHD began vaccinations for kids between 5 and 11 years old on Monday at its vaccine facility at the Southgate Mall.
CMC is offering a clinic on Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. MCPS has a clinic scheduled from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12 and from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at the MCPS Administration Building A located at 909 South Avenue West.