@@@Covid Vaccine

[mcppalmbeach]

My friend went to get her kids their Covid and flu shot today at Walgreens. They said they are no longer vaccinating under 18 for Covid there. Anyone know why not and when that started? Odd because they allowed the appt to be made.

[Jalapeñomel]

What state?

www.walgreens.com/images/adaptive/findcare/covid19/Vaccine_State_Specific_Eligibility_Criteria.pdf


EDIT: Didn't see that this is an old link, but still may be helpful

[picksthemusic]

It might be a new corporate policy. Did the pharmacist have any input? Might also be a cost-saving measure as Covid vaccines aren't federally funded anymore.

Jalapeñomel, when I clicked on the link and then clicked my state name, it just took me to the state DoH site that gave the updated information on who is allowed to get what Covid vaccine at what age.

[Deleted]

Some states have limits on who can administer vaccines to kids of different ages. Pre-COVID it was fairly common for pharmacists to only be able to vaccinate 13 and up. During COVID they relaxed it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the age limits come back.

You can check to see if your CVS Minute Clinic can give the vaccine. They are typically RNs or PAs.

[mcppalmbeach]

Oct 11, 2024 10:55:09 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Some states have limits on who can administer vaccines to kids of different ages. Pre-COVID it was fairly common for pharmacists to only be able to vaccinate 13 and up. During COVID they relaxed it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the age limits come back.

You can check to see if your CVS Minute Clinic can give the vaccine. They are typically RNs or PAs.

They were both able to receive their flu shots, just not Covid.

[mcppalmbeach]

Oct 11, 2024 10:46:19 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

What state?

www.walgreens.com/images/adaptive/findcare/covid19/Vaccine_State_Specific_Eligibility_Criteria.pdf


EDIT: Didn't see that this is an old link, but still may be helpful

I didn’t see any info on my state…Florida. Just odd they could receive a flu vaccine and not covid. Also odd that they could make the appt in the first place so tells me it must be a newer thing.

[circa1978]

IDK, I walked into Sam's Club in Missouri with my 13YO yesterday and they basically tackled us at the door offering free COVID and flu shots. We both got them with no issues. They said it would be free if they could charge insurance or not.

[Susie]

That's really frustrating that they allowed you to make the app't but then wouldn't do it.  I'm sure you had to enter the DOB when you made the app't.

We had trouble last year because DS (then 3) got a Moderna series in 2022 at a pharmacy, where ages 3+ could be vaxxed in NY under covid rules.  In 2023 he was 4, and many pharmacies were saying only ages 5+.  Our pedi only had Pfizer, and mix & match wasn't allowed for that age group.  Fortunately we were able to find a Walmart that had Moderna and would vax a 4 yo, but it was so much harder than it had to be.

To that end, does brand matter anymore for that age range?  DS is 5 now, and it would be so much easier if he could get Pfizer at his pedi.

[picksthemusic]

Oct 11, 2024 11:24:45 GMT -5 circa1978 said:

IDK, I walked into Sam's Club in Missouri with my 13YO yesterday and they basically tackled us at the door offering free COVID and flu shots. We both got them with no issues. They said it would be free if they could charge insurance or not.

For your 13yo, my guess is because it's state funded so they have it regardless (that's how our state works for pediatric vaccines). For adults, they can bill insurance and are probably trying to recoup vaccine costs.

[picksthemusic]

Oct 11, 2024 11:50:29 GMT -5 Susie said:

That's really frustrating that they allowed you to make the app't but then wouldn't do it.  I'm sure you had to enter the DOB when you made the app't.

We had trouble last year because DS (then 3) got a Moderna series in 2022 at a pharmacy, where ages 3+ could be vaxxed in NY under covid rules.  In 2023 he was 4, and many pharmacies were saying only ages 5+.  Our pedi only had Pfizer, and mix & match wasn't allowed for that age group.  Fortunately we were able to find a Walmart that had Moderna and would vax a 4 yo, but it was so much harder than it had to be.

To that end, does brand matter anymore for that age range?  DS is 5 now, and it would be so much easier if he could get Pfizer at his pedi.

Pfizer has always had vaccine for 6mo+ since it was approved. It was just a matter of your clinic carrying that formulation.

Now, it's still separated by age (i.e. 6mo-4y, 5y-11y, 12+) and less work to mix and lots more pre-filled syringe options. But your clinics have to order each age group separately so they might not carry the younger versions for whatever reason. Hopefully you find the vaccine you need! You might want to reach out to your local county health department to see what they have/if they are vaccinating, or if they have any resources as to where to go.

[Susie]

Oct 11, 2024 12:23:39 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

Oct 11, 2024 11:50:29 GMT -5 Susie said:

That's really frustrating that they allowed you to make the app't but then wouldn't do it.  I'm sure you had to enter the DOB when you made the app't.

We had trouble last year because DS (then 3) got a Moderna series in 2022 at a pharmacy, where ages 3+ could be vaxxed in NY under covid rules.  In 2023 he was 4, and many pharmacies were saying only ages 5+.  Our pedi only had Pfizer, and mix & match wasn't allowed for that age group.  Fortunately we were able to find a Walmart that had Moderna and would vax a 4 yo, but it was so much harder than it had to be.

To that end, does brand matter anymore for that age range?  DS is 5 now, and it would be so much easier if he could get Pfizer at his pedi.

Pfizer has always had vaccine for 6mo+ since it was approved. It was just a matter of your clinic carrying that formulation.

Now, it's still separated by age (i.e. 6mo-4y, 5y-11y, 12+) and less work to mix and lots more pre-filled syringe options. But your clinics have to order each age group separately so they might not carry the younger versions for whatever reason. Hopefully you find the vaccine you need! You might want to reach out to your local county health department to see what they have/if they are vaccinating, or if they have any resources as to where to go.

I know Pfizer has offered vaccines for all of those age ranges.  My question was more about the mixing and matching:  whether a 5 year old, who received a Moderna primary series as a 3 yo and a Moderna booster as a 4 yo, could switch to Pfizer this year.  

Last year at 4 he was only approved to receive Moderna for his booster because he had received a Moderna primary series.  Pfizer wasn't available *to him*.  For some reason they approached mix & match differently at the young ages than the older kids.

I guess either way at 5 he's part of the 5-11 group now, and I think they can mix/match, so he should be able to.  But I want to make sure before I schedule.

[picksthemusic]

Oct 11, 2024 12:36:32 GMT -5 Susie said:

Oct 11, 2024 12:23:39 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

Pfizer has always had vaccine for 6mo+ since it was approved. It was just a matter of your clinic carrying that formulation.

Now, it's still separated by age (i.e. 6mo-4y, 5y-11y, 12+) and less work to mix and lots more pre-filled syringe options. But your clinics have to order each age group separately so they might not carry the younger versions for whatever reason. Hopefully you find the vaccine you need! You might want to reach out to your local county health department to see what they have/if they are vaccinating, or if they have any resources as to where to go.

I know Pfizer has offered vaccines for all of those age ranges.  My question was more about the mixing and matching:  whether a 5 year old, who received a Moderna primary series as a 3 yo and a Moderna booster as a 4 yo, could switch to Pfizer this year.  

Last year at 4 he was only approved to receive Moderna for his booster because he had received a Moderna primary series.  Pfizer wasn't available *to him*.  For some reason they approached mix & match differently at the young ages than the older kids.

I guess either way at 5 he's part of the 5-11 group now, and I think they can mix/match, so he should be able to.  But I want to make sure before I schedule.

For this year, it shouldn't matter. The whole formulation was changed to fit the new variant(s) so it should be fine. Here's the blurb from my state DoH:

Most people ages 5 years old and older just need one updated 2024-2025 dose to be up to date.

There are two types of COVID-19 vaccines available:



mRNA vaccines

Moderna 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine - available for ages 6 months and older

Pfizer 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine - available for ages 6 months and older

Protein subunit vaccines

Novavax 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine - available for ages 12 years and older

ETA: doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/immunization/diseases-and-vaccines/covid-19#:~:text=COVID%2D19%20Vaccine&text=The%20vaccine%20is%20available%20to,live%20in%20a%20multigenerational%20household.

[onthemove]

Got my 3 and 6 year olds done at Walgreens last week. I did lie and say the 3 year old had had Pfizer when I knew they had Moderna the first time. I wasn’t going to spend a couple hours finding Moderna for him. Last year he missed it because I couldn’t ever find it for him. He seemed ok? At this point I just decided something had to be better than nothing and we have a visit to a very compromised person in 2 weeks. We are in the south.

[JayhawkGirl]

It shouldn’t be so difficult

[scribellesam]

This happened to me and my kids last year. We showed up at a CVS with an appointment and kids were turned away. I made another appointment online at a different location but verified with a pharmacist over the phone before we went in. It was a bigger hassle than I expected. This year I went to their pediatrician group’s flu shot clinic and they got flu/Covid at the same time.

[chickadee77]

This happened to me, too. Thankfully, the pediatrician had it.

I swear, each covid shot has been different. I usually go to Walgreens, but for one I had to take the youngest to CVS. Another time I had to go to the health department. Another time Walgreens was a-okay. It's such a PITA to have to make four or five calls to figure out where I can go each time.

[macmars45]

That sounds right. Also, my insurance isn't accepted at Fred Myer so that's out, Walmart (where we had DS vaxxed last year) isn't vaccinating kids at least in my city. I was told to try the Health Department or DS' pedi. Safeway is the only option in my city this year. Unless of course I wanted to drive across town 20-25 minutes to the Health Department.

It wouldn't surprise me if no one offers covid vaxxs to the under 12 or under 18 groups in my red city within the next few years. In that case we'll be driving 2.5 hours to the Seattle area.

chickadee77 yep. Every year it's like wack a mole to figure out where we can take him.