VACCINATION: With another OK for 12- to 15-year-olds, city starts taking appointments. Also – dates set for clinics at 6 local schools

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

1:36 PM: Two days after the Pfizer vaccine got the FDA’s OK to lower the eligibility age to 12, a CDC advisory committee has given its approval too, and the city is now taking appointments for the younger recipients. Here’s where to start. P.S. Since Saturday’s pop-up clinic in The Junction is offering the other two vaccines, it will not be inoculating people under 18. (THURSDAY UPDATE: This has changed – Pfizer vaccine WILL be available Saturday, so ages 12+ are welcome.)

ADDED 2:20 PM: Seattle Public Schools has now published the dates/times/locations for its upcoming student vaccination clinics, including West Seattle’s high schools, middle schools, and K-8 schools. See the list here.

Tony May 12, 2021 (1:57 pm)

My son turns 12 on June 11. He is getting his first Pfizer shot on June 14! He’s very happy…. as am I🙋🏼‍♂️

WS Student May 12, 2021 (2:03 pm)

Here is the information about the vaccination clinic at West Seattle Highschool:

WSB May 12, 2021 (2:13 pm)

Thank you, I also have more Sealth info from a reader and will add both those above …
- WSB May 12, 2021 (2:23 pm)
  
  … and now the district’s list is online, with all local high schools, middle schools, K-8s. Added above too.
  https://www.seattleschools.org/district/calendars/news/what_s_new/covid-19_vaccine

Gabby May 12, 2021 (2:42 pm)

Can private schooled or homeschooled kids get vaccinated at these SPS clinics? (Including all the special needs kids who withdrew from SPS over the past year because they weren’t getting any services? )

WS Student May 12, 2021 (4:16 pm)

I am pretty sure these clinics are open to all community members.
SJ May 12, 2021 (4:26 pm)

I’m not sure, but there are a lot of openings at the Thistle site, also run by the city/SFD.
- Danny Warner May 13, 2021 (5:08 pm)
  
  Pop-up clinic open to all (12 and up) at the Neighborhood House on Saturday the 15th.https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/appointment/en/client/registration?clinic_id=3792
  - WSB May 13, 2021 (5:30 pm)
    
    Got that in a separate story and will be adding to the calendar:
    https://westseattleblog.com/2021/05/ways-to-get-vaccinated-west-seattle-junction-pop-up-update-high-point-event-brewpub-clinic/
    
    Thank you!
Amy May 12, 2021 (6:06 pm)

I wondered this as well, but I ended up making an appointment through the state website since I couldn’t find any info online. I was able to get an appointment for my homeschooled 13-year-old daughter at the West Seattle site on Thistle for next week. If you want to go that route, there were a ton of appointment slots available as of earlier this afternoon.

Middle School Parent May 12, 2021 (4:18 pm)

Gabby, I have a child at Madison but she chose to sign up at the City (link above). She was able to get a spot tomorrow after school. Tons of slots available at the West Seattle location. Super efficient and we received texts and emails confirming the appointment. Good luck to you!

W Seattle parent May 12, 2021 (4:38 pm)

I believe you should now be able to walk up to the city run vaccination hub at southwest athletic center for your kid.

Concerned parent May 12, 2021 (5:56 pm)

Please tell me that students participating in school vaccination sites require parental/legal guardian consent? Me and my child’s father are not on the same page when it comes to vaccinations, well, this one (under age 18). Our child has all the immunizations required for school… but I am still wanting a little more data that proves that this one is necessary… Not doubting vaccines. I am concerned about peer pressure at school and how it this will pan out? Isn’t any other parent concerned? And with pressure from adults in the school? I think making vaccinations for everyone should be available… just not at a school. Can they get other vaccines? HPV? Or get STD screens? Etc? AT SCHOOL?Again- just wanting to know that parental consent is required… since they need one to ride a bus to a field trip.

WSB May 12, 2021 (6:12 pm)

Yes, that’s in all the district communication we’ve published/linked to. And I believe schools’ health centers administer other types of vaccines as well. Here’s the Neighborcare info (they run the health centers in several local schools):
https://neighborcare.org/services/school-based/
- Wsres May 12, 2021 (10:14 pm)
  
  Polio vaccines were given at school and my parents never got polio because of it, when the benefits outweigh the risks….
SLJ May 12, 2021 (6:57 pm)

Consent from a parent is required for all vaccines, for this event as well as vaccines in the school-based health centers. STD testing and treatment for someone 14 and older is allowed without parental consent at any clinic (school or otherwise) by Washington state law.
https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/SexualandReproductiveHealth/StateLaws
Auntie May 12, 2021 (7:14 pm)

I guess you are not from the generation of kids that lined up in the school cafeteria with our hand written permission notes in our hand and got our polio and smallpox vaccinations from the school nurse.
Matt P May 13, 2021 (12:29 am)

“Not doubting vaccines.” Yes you are. That’s 100% what you are doing.

Admiral parent May 12, 2021 (5:57 pm)

Hi Gabby – my 13 year old received his 1st dose at the SouthWest Athletic Center today. They received authorization there to give kids the vaccine this afternoon. My friend has an appointment there for her daughter tomorrow. So that is an option.

Jamie May 12, 2021 (6:29 pm)

I brought my 12-year-old to the alumen Field Event Center site this afternoon for his first shot. It’s well organized and they have plenty of capacity. They are welcoming walk-up appointments.

Concerned Parent May 12, 2021 (8:04 pm)

Are there any parents concerned about what is getting jabbed in a 12 year old? A child that hasn’t started puberty? We all know that milk with hormones altered those children and their hormone development… which is why everyone clamors for organic, non-hormone laden milk… AFTER they found out the stats. If a parent, grandparent, teacher etc. is vaccinated, why the push for children? And for those that argue “it protects the unvaccinated”… aside from what I can say about that… a CHILD is the least human to be affected by contracting Covid, and the argument that they can give it to the grandparents etc. doesn’t stand, in my opinion. This is all happening too fast… we really do not know the long term effects to “growing…physical and mental” children.

Reality check May 13, 2021 (7:09 am)

With respect to your concerns, flu vaccinations have been around for a long time, and the benefits are generally thought to outweigh the risks for most. In the case of covid, this is a more highly contagious and more serious virus than more common flu viruses. It has rapidly created a worldwide health crisis, millions of people have died from it, many have had long term health impacts and will continue to, and may have a shortened life span due to the virus, we don’t yet know.

Some kids have had severe illness from covid, some have died. Even though it’s a lower percentage, you have to consider if that is a risk you want to take, when the vaccine has been considered safe enough and is being strongly encouraged.

So, along with considering possible side effects or harm from the vaccine, reasonably, you should also be concerned about the risks of the virus and long term health impacts and unknowns associated with that. We already do know that bad viruses in general can trigger other health issues for children, such as auto immune health issues too.

To me it would appear there are greater risks and implications potentially from the virus itself than from the vaccine, but I do understand your concern.
Amanda Kay May 13, 2021 (7:24 am)

You have valid points, I feel the same way about hormones in milk. And I know exactly what is in that shot. I gladly got my child vaccinated for Measles, Mumps and Rubella. For HPV and chicken pox and I am thrilled he can be vaccinated against COVID. I want him to feel less anxiety about the thing that has robbed him of his first year of middle school, playdates, birthday parties, indoor exercise and more. He’s excited about it, and so am I.
neighbor May 13, 2021 (8:11 am)

Every parent is concerned about their child’s safety and well-being, Concerned. I’m no less concerned than you. But we seem to be concerned about different things. I’ve done a lot of reading about the decades of research that have been done on mRNA vaccines and have no worries there at all. What I am very concerned about is the still-emerging data on the long-term damage done by this virus, even in adults and children who were only mildly ill.
- Andros May 13, 2021 (10:28 am)
  
  This was going to be my response to it too with Concerned. There are so many long-term effects that will have a damaging result on your child from getting Covid. And the mRNA vaccines are completely safe as there has been lengthly studies and years worth of data on that. From the article below. I would not want my child to be subjected to this. for 6-8 months…”
  
  Results: The five children with potential long COVID had a median age of 12 years (range 9-15) and four were girls. They had symptoms for 6-8 months after their clinical diagnoses of COVID-19. None were hospitalised at diagnosis, but one was later admitted for peri-myocarditis. All five children had fatigue, dyspnoea, heart palpitations or chest pain, and four had headaches, difficulties concentrating, muscle weakness, dizziness and sore throats. Some had improved after 6-8 months, but they all suffered from fatigue and none had fully returned to school. The systematic review identified 179 publications and 19 of these were deemed relevant and read in detail. None contained any information on long COVID in children.”https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33205450/
WSREZZO May 13, 2021 (10:50 am)

Good thing we had medical experts to rely on! the long term effects of COVID are something to avoid. Also, why do anti vaxxers use the term “jab” so much? lol. Genuinely curious.
- Pessoa May 13, 2021 (12:40 pm)
  
  I have noticed zero difference in the frequency of “jab” between those unsure of vaccines and those who aren’t. It’s a genuinely curious question.

Another concerned parent May 13, 2021 (9:56 am)

I’m more concerned about the unknowns of the vaccines than covid, at this point. I won’t be getting my 12 and 13 year olds vaccinated any time soon. I’m not completely opposed but it’s just too soon for me.

Andros May 13, 2021 (2:23 pm)

I’m interested to know what would change your mind? A period of time? More data on the matter? They did do a phase 3 clinical trial on this and the results were spectacular with just the same incidents of mild symptoms. When you use a word like “unknowns” that doesn’t help clarify your stance.

WSB May 13, 2021 (10:03 am)

Updated above: The Junction clinic Saturday WILL have Pfizer after all, so it’s open to ages 12+.

Pessoa May 13, 2021 (11:38 am)

Your child may have already been exposed to Covid-19 and is carrying around natural antibodies. If you are concerned about the vaccine, one option is to have your child tested for antibodies. These tests are widely available, and may be available at the drugstore. (By the way, the risk of a child dying from Covid-19 are microscopically tiny, somewhere in the range of .009%. )

Reality check May 13, 2021 (1:49 pm)

The few parents who do lose a child from covid might later mournfully regret their decision not to vaccinate because of the low statistics. Statistics matter less to some when the cost is so high.

271 children had died from covid-19 in the US as of this February.

There are also new variants that we are still learning about, keep in mind.

Sorry, comment time is over.