Today, Mayor Bowser and DC Health announced that the District will begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to children ages six months and older at COVID Centers in all eight wards beginning Tuesday, June 21. The announcement follows today’s approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. The Moderna vaccine, approved for 6 months to 5 years old, is two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine, approved for 6 months to 4 years old (a Pfizer vaccine has already been available to children 5 and older), is three doses. The pediatric vaccines will be available at all District COVID Centers, health clinics, and doctors’ offices. The vaccine will also be available at select pharmacies for children three and up. DC Health recommends that all children between six months and four years old receive this vaccine as soon as possible, preferably through their primary care physician who can also provide other important childhood vaccinations.

The two doses of the Moderna vaccine will administered four weeks apart. The first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be administered three weeks apart with the third dose given eight weeks after the second dose. For example, if your child is six months to five years old and is vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine on June 21, they will receive their second and final dose on July 19. If your child is given the Pfizer vaccine on June 21, they will receive their second dose on July 12 and their third and final dose September 6.   

COVID-19 has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death, and tens of thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized because of the virus. While children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized from COVID-19, the effects of the virus are unpredictable. Clinical trials for both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children six months and older have shown the vaccines to be safe and effective. With 6.4% of the District’s population being under five years, vaccination is the best way to protect children from COVID-19 and help end the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first shipment of doses will arrive on Monday. Doses of the vaccines at COVID Centers will initially be in limited supply, with each Center receiving an initial shipment of 150 doses of Pfizer and 150 of Moderna, and then 60 doses of Pfizer and 140 of Moderna each day following. Parents or guardians will need to show proof of District residency for pediatric vaccines. This includes an ID, piece of mail with your name and address on it, lease, etc.

The COVID Center schedule for next week, adjusted to have all eight sites open on Tuesday, is below. Residents should note that the new Ward 1 location at 1000 U Street NW (which is replacing the previous location on Euclid Street) opens on Tuesday, June 21. Participating vaccine locations will also be listed on vaccinate.dc.gov.