Putnam County Health Department to Begin Vaccinating Children This Week
The Putnam County Department of Health will be starting to vaccinate children 12 to 15 years of age this week, based on expanded authorization of the Pfizer vaccine, approved last week by the New York State Department of Health.
Parents and caregivers should be aware that to receive a vaccination, minors must have proof of age as well as verbal or written consent from a parent or legal guardian.
An upcoming health department COVID-19 vaccination clinic, set for Thursday, May 20 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., will have the Pfizer vaccine available, the only one approved for use in children 12 to 15 years of age. This first-dose Pfizer vaccine clinic will take place at the Philipstown Recreation Center in Garrison. Walk-ins are welcome but making an appointment online will save time.
The appointment link will be shared on the county health department website and social media. Future clinics will be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @PutnamHealthNY and at www.putnamcountyny.com/covid-19-vaccine-information.
To continue the downward trend in transmission, it is key to increase county vaccination rates. Broadening eligibility to a younger population is one way to accomplish this. Putnam’s overall vaccination rates continue to be higher than the rest of New York State and the country.
As of May 12, Putnam County’s overall vaccination rate for age 15+ population was 61.5% as compared to state as a whole at 57.6.0%. The range of vaccination rates by zip code is 52.8% (Lake Peekskill) to 78.8% (Cold Spring) on the west side of the county, with less variability in more populous zip codes in central and eastern parts of the county (Carmel 60.7%, Brewster 60.8%).
According to the NYS Department of Health, this data only reflects administrations reported to the state. It does not include Federal Entity administrations (Veterans Health, etc.) which are reported directly to the CDC. Counts are provided for 15+ populations in each zip code due to data availability, although 15-year-olds were not previously eligible for vaccination.
Efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccine across the county, including community surveys, outreach, and communication between providing entities, are ongoing.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
