COVID vaccine demand for 5- to 11-year-olds low across MS Coast. Here’s where to get shots
COVID-19 vaccination demand for the newly eligible 5-11-year-olds is low across Mississippi while shots for the age group have been available for nearly a month.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows that over 10% of 5- to 11-year-old children across the country have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Since the Pfizer vaccine was expanded to the age group on Nov. 2, only 2.2% of Mississippi children have received their first shots according to a recent analysis by Bloomberg News.
On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Singing River Health System and Memorial at Gulfport said they have not received requests from Coast school districts about vaccination events or for assistance administering shots in young children. Neither health system has put on vaccination events for 5- to 11-year-olds at their facilities.
“I think the uptake has been somewhat slow so far. ... Hopefully, it will continue to pick up,” said State Epidemiologist Paul Byers during a Friday Mississippi State Medical Association discussion.
Five- to 17-year-olds are the third most-infected age group by the virus across Mississippi, after 25- to 39-year-olds and 50- to 64-year-olds.
“There are certainly some states that are well ahead of us in the uptake in their kids in that age group. ... When you look at our data where most of our cases are, we’re still seeing them in the younger age groups. We still see them in children aged 5-17 and the folks who are in their early 20s to early 30s.”
Coast slow to adopt pediatric vaccines
Unlike school and hospital-led vaccination events for other age groups across the Coast, the vaccination push for younger children has been more quiet.
The vaccine received approval from the CDC in August for use in children as young as 12, and Singing River and Memorial regularly paired with middle and high schools across the Coast in helping vaccinate students and staff.
The health systems now say no local districts have asked for their assistance in administering shots to the younger age group.
Both Ocean Springs and Pass Christian school districts, which over the pandemic have spearheaded COVID mitigation efforts along the Coast, are not planning to host vaccine events.
“We feel like the vaccination is readily available,” Pass Christian Superintendent Dr. Carla Evers said. “We want to make sure parents talk with their pediatricians or family doctors.”
Ocean Springs Superintendent Dr. Bonita Coleman agreed that the availability of the vaccine for younger age groups has contributed to the district’s lack of on-site vaccination offerings for the younger age group.
“There’s not a lack of availability, that’s not the problem, it’s more demand, said Coleman.
Byers on Friday said the state has had a “lot of provider interest” in the pediatric doses and has ordered and begun distributing over 60,000 shots.
Singing River Media Relations Director Sarah Duffey said their health system has wanted to remain conservative with the number of doses they have, which is why vaccine events for 5- to 11-year-olds have not been held. The hospital might reconsider if interest in offering shots to younger children changes, she said.
Dr. Geri Weiland, president of the Mississippi State Medical Association and a Vicksburg pediatrician, also said during a recent MSMA chat that she’s seen some resistance to the vaccine for younger age groups across the state.
“I have had some reluctance, I have had parents who have vaccinated their 12 and above and are kind of reluctant to vaccinate the younger ones,” said Weiland, noting the safety concerns of the vaccine for younger age groups.
“My 5-year-old grandson has received his COVID vaccine. And I remind them that it got tested for adults and got approved and got tested for the 12-18 and got approved. ... People seem to forget that every step along the way, testing has been done.”
Here’s where children can get the vaccine
The Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11 are available for children on the Coast at county health departments, most pediatric offices and some pharmacies and clinics.
Vaccines used in this new age group are one-third of the adolescent and adult dose, so not all vaccine providers can offer doses to the younger age group.
Children ages 5-11 will be vaccinated with two 10-microgram doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered 21 days apart.
Health officials encourage parents to first check with their child’s health-care provider about COVID vaccination offerings.
Pharmacies
As listed on the national vaccine finder tool vaccines.gov, there are locations on the MS Gulf Coast with appointments for children available at these pharmacies:
Walgreens
- 120 W Railroad St, Long Beach, MS 39560, 228-575-4057
- 2405 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531, 228-388-3458
- 3082 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, 228-872-2646
Walmart
- 1617 E Beach Blvd, Pass Christian, MS 39571, 228-452-4948
- 9350 Us 49, Gulfport, MS 39503, 228-864-5197
- 11333 Us 49, Gulfport, MS 39503, 228-284-6114
- 2681 Ct Switzer Sr Drive, Biloxi, MS 39531, 228-385-1046
- 2050 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS 39531, 228-271-6723
- 1824 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS 39532, 228-271-6082
- 460 Us-90, Waveland, MS 39520, 228-467-4371
- 10290 D’iberville Blvd., D’iberville, MS 39540, 228-271-6751
- 3615 Sangani Blvd., D’iberville, MS 39540, 228-396-4740
- 6412 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, 228-334-3054
- 3911 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, 228-875-4036
Sam’s Club
- 10431 Old Hwy 49, Gulfport, MS 39503, 228-832-4441
Winn-Dixie
- 11312 H, U.S. 49, Gulfport, MS 39503, 228-832-0051
Love’s Pharmacy
- 12345 Vidalia Road, Pass Christian, MS 39571, 228-255-7800
- 6390 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, 228-818-3391
CVS
- 11022 U.S. 49, Gulfport, MS 39503, (228) 832-8981
Health Systems
Health systems across the MS Gulf Coast are also offering the vaccines to younger age groups at some of their vaccination clinics and pediatric clinics:
Singing River
- Pascagoula vaccine clinic - Singing River HealthPlex/Medical Park, 3101 Denny Ave. 2nd Floor, Pascagoula, MS 39581
Pascagoula pediatric clinic- 2809 Denny Aven., Room 3018, Pascagoula, MS 39581
- Gulfport vaccine clinic - Singing River Gulfport Hospital, Foundation Mobile Care Clinic in Singing River Gulfport parking lot, 15200 Community Road, Gulfport
- Gulfport pediatric clinic- 15190 Community Road Suite 330, Gulfport, MS 39503
Ocean Springs pediatric clinic-1129 Ocean Springs Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Memorial
- Long Beach Memorial Children’s clinic-20091 Pineville Road, Long Beach, (228) 868-3684
- Gulfport Memorial Children’s Clinic-9454 Three Rivers Road, Suite A, Gulfport, (228) 575-2676 or 896-5437
County Health Departments
The Mississippi State Department of Health on Nov. 8 started offering vaccinations for young children at county health offices around the state, including those on the MS Gulf Coast:
Hancock County Health Department
856 Highway 90, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520-8602
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday
228-467-4510
Harrison County Health Department
1102 45th Ave., Gulfport, MS 39501
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday
228-863-1036
Jackson County Health Department
4600 Lt. Eugene J. Majure Drive, Pascagoula, MS 39581
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday
228-762-1117
This article and live event is supported by the Journalism and Public Information Fund, a fund of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
