State health officials remind parents to get kids 12 and up to get booster shot

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO)-- The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is reminding parents and guardians of children 12 and up to make sure their children receive a booster vaccine dose.

On January 3, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization to allow children between 12 and 15 to get the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster.

The CDPHE is now putting vaccine clinics up throughout the state to get more children boosted.

According to state health officials, a third vaccine provides the highest level of protection against the COVID-19 virus and its variants.

Just recently, the CDC updated their recommended timeline for when people can get a third Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine dose, including recommending adolescents age 12 to 17 get their third dose, but only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized for adolescents, 12-17.

There are several large community vaccine sites throughout Southern Colorado including:

• Chapel Hills Mall (1710 Briargate Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80920)
• Citadel Mall (680 Citadel Dr. E, Colorado Springs, CO 80909)
• Pueblo Mall (3201 Dillon Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008)

If you are immunocompromised and got three doses of Pfizer or Moderna in your primary series, you should get the fourth dose six months after your third dose. Plus, the CDC recommends that moderately or severely immunocompromised 5– to 11-year-olds receive an additional primary dose of vaccine 28 days after their second dose of Pfizer pediatric vaccine.

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