by Cesse Ip

The CDC approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Tuesday, November 2nd. While serious illness from COVID-19 is rare in children, the Delta variant still resulted in a surge of COVID-19 cases throughout the summer in children, according to the CDC. The vaccine, along with other preventative measures, like masking and quarantining when exposed, can protect children from COVID-19.

Last week, before even the FDA and CDC had recommended the vaccine for children 5-11, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced vaccine sites across the city at local schools. These are the schools nearest the Greater Petworth Area:

11-8 Dorothy I Height Elementary School, 1300 Allison St NW
11-9 Center City Public Charter School, 6008 Georgia Ave NW
11-18 E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, 4501 Kansas Ave NW
11-20 Whittier Elementary School, 6201 5th ST NW

To the best of Petworth News’s knowledge, the clinics will take place from 3:30-7:30pm, after each school’s dismissal times. No appointment is needed, and it will be first-come, first-served to all DC residents.

Please be a good neighbor and don’t crowd the schools before the clinics starts, and don’t block in parents and staff and utilize street parking. A full list of schools across the city can be found in the Mayor’s announcement.

Additionally, several pop up clinics will start around the city, and one of the first ones will be on Friday, November 5th at Takoma Community Center at 300 Van Buren St NW from 3:30-7:30pm. Parents who are unable to bring their child will have the option to print and sign a form allowing a trusted family member to accompany their child to the pop-up vaccine clinics; those forms will be made available on coronavirus.dc.gov.

💉 COVID vaccine now approved for 5-11 year olds 💉 #Ward4 sites that will have children's doses later this week:
➡️ @ChildrensNatl at #ShepherdPark
➡️ @MarysCenter in #Petworth
➡️ @Safeway in #Petworth
➡️ @Safeway in #Takoma

Read more from @_DCHealth:https://t.co/GLd2xrbMWR pic.twitter.com/lVNaFslRNa
— CM Janeese Lewis George (@CMLewisGeorgeW4) November 3, 2021

Also according to the Mayor’s website, providers have also started to offer the vaccine to their patients, to include Mary’s Center on 3912 Georgia Ave NW, and Children’s National, Shepherd Park on 7125 13th Pl NW. The Safeway Pharmacies on 3830 Georgia Ave NW and 6500 Piney Branch Rd NW are also offering the pediatric vaccine starting next week.

You can also make appointments at CVS and other participating pharmacies. Check their websites.