COVID In Colorado: Excitement Builds As Children Ages 12-15 Begin To Get Pfizer Vaccine

DENVER (CBS4)- With teenagers gaining access to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children is hosting its first large vaccine clinic this weekend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved children ages 12-15 to receive the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday.

"We really believe vaccinations are one of the keys to stopping the COVID pandemic so we're really looking forward to being able to administer the vaccine to those kids," said Dr. Reginald Washington the Chief Medical Officer at RMHC.

Appointments are available Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

"We've found some parents are very excited and some parents are still very reluctant. The science says the vaccine is extremely safe and will not harm your child," Dr. Washington said.

Fourteen-year-old Daniel Abrams is signed up for an appointment this weekend. He's hoping this will allow him to see friends again.

"They also seem like they're eager to get it as well," Abrams said. "It's good to not really worry about quarantining once I get it, I'll feel a little safer around people and I won't be putting other family members at risk."

Abrams says he's planning a summer filled with baseball, preparing for high school, and sleepaway camp.

"I wasn't able to go last year because that's right around when the pandemic started. Now that I'm able to get it I'll be able to see people I haven't seen in a while at camps. Sleepaway camp is going to be really fun," Abrams said.

Dr. Washington says he's been speaking with parents, some excited, others are hesitant about the vaccine for kids. He says the trials show it works.

"They knew fairly early on how much vaccine to give an adult, but children have a different immune system. We have to do experimentations, trials, to see the proper dose to protect children. What they found is that the doses are about the same as those for an adult, but their response is much greater meaning they generate more immune response to that which is good news and the side effects are no greater," Dr. Washington said.

To sign up for a vaccine clinic: Visit RockyMountainHospitalforChildren.com/vaccine.
Click on the Vaccine Registration button. Enter registration information.
Select Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children as the location.
Select the available date and time that works best for the first dose.
Select the available date and time that works best for the second dose.
Click the "Complete" button to finish your registration.