How Burlington County Residents Ages 12-15 Can Get COVID Vaccine

MOORESTOWN, NJ — New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mega-Site at the Moorestown Mall began vaccinating children ages 12 to 15 last week, and Burlington County health officials want parents to know how easy it is to get their child a shot.

“Children are not immune from this virus. Their risk of severe illness may not be as great as older adults, but they can get infected, and they can become sick, sometimes seriously,” Burlington County Health Director Dr. Herb Conaway said. “Children can also be asymptomatic and transmit the virus, so it’s important for them to be vaccinated like the rest of us. This expansion is an important step.”

More than 5,200 children have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began more than a year ago, according to officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 12-15 on May 12.

Since then, the shot has become available at the vaccine site in the former Lord & Taylor store at the Moorestown Mall, as well as CVS pharmacies in New Jersey that have supplies of the Pfizer vaccine.

The Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Pemberton Township is also hosting walk-up vaccination clinics at the hospital’s Medical Office Building at 6 Earlin Avenue, Browns Mills. Pfizer will be available for child vaccinations as follows:

• Thursday, May 20, noon to 7 p.m.;
• Friday, May 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
• Tuesday, May 25, noon to 7 p.m.; and
• Wednesday, May 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Vaccinated children can safely attend schools that are less likely to close due to COVID-19 outbreaks, safely participate in sports and other enriching activities and safely visit grandparents and other relatives not living with them,” Conaway said. “With vaccination comes normalcy.”

To help facilitate student vaccinations, the Burlington County Health Department sent information to all school districts in the county explaining how they could partner with the Mega-Site to arrange for eligible students to sign up to be vaccinated.

“We want to get as many people vaccinated as possible and working with our school districts is another way we can help remove barriers that exist for some families,” Conaway said.

The Burlington County Mega-Site is a partnership among the State of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Health, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, Community Emergency Response Team, Medical Reserve Corps, the New Jersey National Guard, Burlington County, and Virtua Health.

Since it opened in January, more than 300,000 vaccinations have occurred there.
Although walk-ins are being accepted, all residents can visit virtua.org/vaccine to select an appointment date and time.

Residents can also register for appointments at the Mega-Site or other vaccination clinics by downloading the Burlington County Health App to your cell phone or tablet. The app is free and available from either the Google Play Store or the iPhone App Store. Just type Burlington County Health App” in either store’s search bar to download.

After downloading and opening the app, find and tap the white vaccine registration button, enter the required information and tap “SUBMIT.” Registrants should receive a call from a New Jersey Department of Health scheduling agent within a day or two to confirm the time and location of an upcoming appointment.

Pfizer is the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children, so appointments for anyone under 18 will be limited to locations equipped with that vaccine.

The Burlington County Health Department is administering the vaccine to vulnerable home bound residents, individuals and families without homes, domestic violence shelters and in underserved communities with low vaccination rates.

“All the COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be safe and effective protection from the virus. I’ve received mine and I strongly encourage those who haven’t yet rolled up their sleeve to do so,” Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Dan O’Connell said. “It’s the best way to protect yourself and your family, friends and co-workers.”

To keep up with the latest vaccination news, visit Patch's New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccination Information Hub.

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