Vaccine appointments for youths fill up after CDC recommends Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - COVID-19 vaccine signups for at least two locations at Edina Public Schools are already filled up after the CDC recommended the Pfizer vaccine can be used for the 12- to 15-year-old age group. 

Doctors volunteering with the school district will administer a total of 2,000 Pfizer doses at two middle schools on Friday.  

"The whole planning team was so excited to be able to offer the vaccine to that many kids at their school. during the school day," said Dr. Sarah Prebil, a volunteer doctor working with Edina Public Schools.  

Dr. Prebil says vaccinating this age group is a critical step in getting to the end of the pandemic.  

"Children are factors of transmission, so they are really important ways for us to stop this transmission so we can all get back to normal," she said.  

Parents should know the CDC has only given the greenlight for the Pfizer vaccine to kids as young as 12. Doctors are urging parents to be mindful of other vaccines their children need.  

"The recommendation with the COVID vaccine is that you need to separate subsequent vaccines or other vaccines by at least two weeks on the front end, so it needs to be two weeks after another vaccine was administered," said Dr. Kevin Best with Allina Health.  

Dr. Best says it’s best to handle vaccines such as tetanus and meningitis first to avoid a long window for the COVID-19 vaccine in between.  

"As you’re preparing to get back to school and getting other vaccinations, doing it prior to the COVID-19 vaccine is the more efficient way to do it because you only have to wait the two weeks after those doses," said Dr. Best.  

Doctors say parents should expect the same side effects as adults including the possibility of fever and headaches for a day or two.