MUNCIE, Ind. (NewsLink) - Open Door Health Services began providing pediatric Pfizer vaccines to children age 5 to 11 on November 8. Since then, they've seen an increase of young patients rolling up their sleeves.
"Parents are excited to finally be able to come in and get their kids vaccinated,” said Jessica Scott, population health nurse at Open Door Health Services.
This is just part of Open Door Health Service's promise to provide residents of Muncie and surrounding towns health coverage amid the pandemic.
"I would say we are on a mission to help people get access to health care and to help stop the spread of COVID,” Scott said.
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital has also seen young patients at their community pharmacy sites during walk-in hours getting their dose, according to Director of Transformation Brian Reed.
"Over our first real weekend, Saturday, we had it...I think we had 50 pediatric patients in that 5 to 11 age group that came to get it on a single day."
Since the pediatric vaccine was recently rolled out, Reed understands each parents' decision regarding COVID-19 immunization for their children.
"We knew initially there were some families that knew right away that they would want to come and get their kids that vaccine,” Reed said. “There are some that will probably want to get it, but don't want to be the first in line. Then, there's probably another group that has no interest at all."
Reed advises parents or guardians who are interested in learning more to visit the Indiana Health Department’s website to learn more.
"Families, patients can go there, enter their ZIP code and find vaccine sites that are closest to where they are or would like to get the vaccine,” Reed said.
Contact Grace Bentkowski at gmbentkowski@bsu.edu for questions or comments.