FL Parents: Do You Want Your Young Teens Vaccinated?

FLORIDA — The federal panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to recommend that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine be used in children ages 12 to 15 after the Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this week that it was expanding its emergency use authorization for the vaccine.

With this eligibility expansion, about 970,000 Florida children can get vaccinated, meaning about 87 percent of all state residents are eligible for the shot, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

State-run vaccination sites in Florida are prepared to offer the vaccine to this age range starting Thursday morning, WTSP said.

In South Florida, Miami-Dade County has partnered with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to offer the Pfizer vaccine to students, their families, staff and the general public Thursdays, May 13 and 20, and Saturdays, May 15 and 22.

And some Central Florida county vaccination sites, including those in Seminole and Orange counties, will begin vaccinating this age range soon, WKMG reported.

Florida pharmacies are also preparing to vaccinate those 12 and older. CVS will offer the vaccine to 12- to 15-year-olds at 640 Florida locations Thursday, reports said.

Parent or guardian consent is required for COVID-19 vaccination for people under 18.

If you're a parent of a child between the ages of 12-15, Patch wants to know whether you plan on having your child vaccinated. Take our survey below and let us know. The survey will remain open until Monday at noon.

The survey is meant not to be a scientific poll, but only to give a broad idea of public sentiment.

Take part in our anonymous survey:

For more information on coronavirus vaccines in Florida, see the Florida Patch COVID-19 vaccination page.