Children 5-11 can now be vaccinated

Saturday, November 6, 2021

During the Nov. 3 Covid briefing, Mississippi County health officer Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle announced that health departments across the state have been cleared to vaccinate children ages 5-11.

Clinics will be held at health departments across the state today (Nov. 6), from 8 a.m. to noon, specifically for children. Approved by the FDA on Oct. 29, children will receive the Pfizer vaccine at one-third of the amount compared to the adult version. Pirtle included that children will also need two doses, just as the adults, 21 days apart from one another.

Currently, this pediatric vaccine has only been sent to county health departments with delivery to local pharmacies scheduled for a later date. The Osceola Health Department is located at 720 W Lee Avenue, while the Blytheville Health Department can be found at 1299 North 10th St.

Both departments also have booster shots of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson available as well. Boosters can also be given at local pharmacies as well.

For both Pfizer and Moderna, the booster can be received six months after the initial full dose. For Johnson and Johnson, boosters can be received two months after the first shot was received.

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders also reported that 31 percent of the county’s population is fully vaccinated, with another 7.3 percent partially vaccinated.

The active case total has continued to drop in the county, falling to 56, after totaling 77 in last week’s report.

Cases have continued to drop for Northeast Arkansas as a whole also, with Craighead County at 155, Crittenden County at 56, Greene County at 65 and Poinsett County at 55.

To continue the downward trend, Pirtle continued her support for wearing masks so that families can be together for the holiday seasons.

“It’s getting colder now so just remember that we want to be able to come together. So get vaccinated and please continue to wear your mask,” Pirtle said. “It’s like therapy. We need to be with each other.”