Nicklaus Children’s Hospital offers COVID-19 vaccines for adolescents, young adults

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Floridians between the ages of 16 and 21 with medical conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 can enroll to receive vaccines at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital starting next week, the Miami-Dade facility announced on Friday.

Doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be available to people of that age who are “currently in the care of physicians or health care professionals identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as having an increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease,” Nicklaus said. in a press release.

Applications can be submitted to Nicklauschildrens.org/Covid19Vaccine starting Monday, March 8th.

Applicants will be required to provide the Florida COVID-19 Extreme Vulnerability Determination Form completed by their physician.

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The hospital says it has already vaccinated 500 eligible patients “by contacting other hospitals in the area and health systems, pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists in Florida, which have led to hundreds of vaccine scheduling recommendations.”

Dr. Marcos Mestre, Nicklaus’ chief physician, says that of the more than 700 doses he administered to these patients, “I have not seen any complication of it.”

The expansion to allow online enrollment from the public comes after the hospital recently received an additional allocation of Pfizer photos.

“While most children are only slightly affected by COVID-19, those with complex conditions can be at risk of serious illness if they contract the virus,” Nicklaus President and CEO of Child Health System Matthew said in a statement. A. Love. We are honored to be able to provide the vaccine to support the care of vulnerable children in Florida.

Risk-increasing conditions identified by the CDC include asthma (moderate to severe), cancer, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes (type 1 or 2), Down syndrome, heart disease, hypertension, immunocompromised disease, liver disease, neurological disorders, obesity, pulmonary fibrosis, sickle cell disease or thalassemia.

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Diego Diaz, 18, has cystic fibrosis and just received his second dose earlier this week through Nicklaus.

“More than grateful,” he said. “I hope other hospitals take note and start doing the same thing, because I really think we should give priority not just to a certain age group, but to a high-risk demographic.”

Diaz added: “He’s always worried that maybe there’s someone next to you who has him, maybe someone you passed by might have COVID, so it’s always scary to go out.”

Pfizer COVID-19 is authorized for use by persons over 16 years of age. (Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are licensed for 18+ years.)

There are limited data on how the vaccine affects the pediatric population, but Mestre said studies are underway for patients between the ages of 12 and 16 and “we hope that by the end of the year we will have a vaccine available for They”.

Pfizer and Moderna expect to begin studies in children at least 11 years later this year as researchers continue to examine whether the photos are safe for younger patients.

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For more information on Nicklaus’ vaccination schedule, click here.

SEE ALSO: What adults are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in Florida