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Children 12 and up can now be vaccinated

LBLN

The City of Long Beach anticipates that COVID-19 vaccinations for those ages 12 and older will begin Thursday, May 13. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15 on May 10, 2021, which was followed by approvals from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) today, May 12. Review from the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup also is taking place today. The Health and Human Services department is planning a May 13 start date in anticipation of final approval. 

“This is a huge milestone in our effort to fully vaccinate everyone against COVID-19,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “By getting vaccinated, these kids protect not only themselves but everyone around them.”

Those aged 12 and older seeking to be vaccinated will be able to do so, without appointment, at the following City-run vaccine sites:

  • The City’s mass vaccination clinic at the Long Beach Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
    • Both drive-through and walk-up options are available. 
  • Cabrillo High School (2001 Santa Fe Ave.), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays
  • Tucker Middle School (2221 Argonne Ave.), from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays 

Youth, ages 12 to 17 years old, will need parental consent in order to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The consent form is available online.

While only Pfizer is available to those younger than 18, all three vaccines (Janssen, Moderna, and Pfizer) are offered onsite at the Convention Center. All eligible people also may make vaccination appointments online via My Turn, the State’s COVID-19 vaccine notification and appointment system or by calling 833.422.4255. My Turn is expected to allow for online appointments for those 12 to 15 years old tomorrow.

The City of Long Beach is committed to making vaccinations as widely attainable as possible. This week, the City launched a vaccine incentive program, in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific, giving aquarium tickets to people when they receive their first vaccine dose. Earlier this month, the City partnered with Long Beach Unified School District to host vaccine clinics on campuses. This is in addition to the mass vaccination clinic at the Long Beach Convention Center which launched in January; the small, community-based clinics to vaccinate people in neighborhoods most impacted by the virus which began in February; and the two mobile vehicles to administer vaccinations to homebound residents and individuals in neighborhoods with the highest coronavirus case rates to reduce the effects of COVID-19, which rolled out in March.

All residents, even those who have received COVID-19 vaccinations, are reminded to continue practicing all health and safety protocols, including wearing face coverings, maintaining proper physical distance from others and sanitizing high touch areas frequently.

As of May 11, there have been 53,145 COVID-19 cases in Long Beach and 933 people have died from the virus. More than 320,000 vaccines have been administered, which includes 181,091 first doses and 139,601 second doses. All vaccines are administered free of charge and have been provided directly by the federal government.

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.