All Louisiana children ages six months and up are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) accepting the recommendation of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization of the three-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the two-dose Moderna vaccine.
The CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) recommend that all eligible children receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and their families. The COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be safe for children ages six months and up and help guard against severe COVID-19 outcomes, including certain heart conditions, long-term complications, hospitalization, and death.
As we continue to experience an increase in positive COVID-19 infections throughout the state, it is critical that all eligible Louisianans get the COVID-19 vaccine. Tragically, LDH has reported a total of 21 children in Louisiana have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, all of whom were not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
COVID-19 can cause severe complications in some children, including more than 300 Louisiana children who have been diagnosed with the life-threatening condition multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
“The COVID-19 vaccines have saved thousands of lives in Louisiana. Many parents are eager to extend this protection to their younger children and we are pleased they now have the opportunity to do so,” said LDH State Health Officer Joseph Kanter, MD. “With the addition of this younger age group, we recommend everyone in the family ages six months and up receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Studies have shown vaccination confers additional protection even for those who have previously been infected. While most children experience only mild symptoms from COVID-19, unfortunately some do get quite ill. As it has for adults and older children, vaccination of younger children will save lives.”
LDH has notified all providers that this guidance is effective immediately. Pediatric vaccine deliveries for this newly eligible group will begin the week of June 20, 2022.
LDH has published a list of all providers who have ordered initial allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine for under-five-year-olds on its website at ldh.la.gov/kidsvax.