Sedgwick County offering COVID vaccine to ages 12 to 15
Sean Wentling patted his little brother on the back Thursday as he walked toward a station at the former downtown library to receive his first COVID-19 vaccine.
The Food and Drug Administration expanded the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the 12 to 15 age group earlier this week. Kansas officials signed off on its use for that age group Wednesday night, making roughly 160,000 children eligible to receive the shot starting Thursday, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials.
“This is an incredible step forward in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said in a news release. “We are now able to protect our younger populations against this deadly disease.”
Jacob Wentling, 12, was nervous about any side effects but happy to get the vaccine like the rest of his family. Sean, 18, kept his hand on Jacob’s shoulder as he received the vaccine.
Jacob didn’t flinch.
His advice to others his age on getting the vaccine: “Don’t be afraid, it’s just like, quick. You won’t really feel anything,” he said.
As he walked to the observation area, his mother, Stephanie Wentling, said: “You did good, Jacob, maybe we will get some ice cream.”
Sedgwick County Health Department Director Adrienne Byrne said that children in the 12 to 15 age group had been trickling in throughout the day, though officials later said demand picked up after school got out. She said some had permission slips from doctors so they could be excused from school.
“If they are on the fence (about the vaccine), I recommend that they talk to their pediatrician … ask their pastor or anyone that they trust and hold in regard,” Byrne said during a news conference. “Just know that this vaccine has been under more scrutiny than ever, any vaccine, in the history. So all eyes are on and wanting to ensure it is safe. And right now it has shown (safe) for adults and for 12 to 15 year olds.”
In a survey, more than 85% of parents said they felt most comfortable getting a shot from a family doctor, so the health department has encouraged health officials to reach out and partner with them to dispense the vaccine, she said. School and the health department were the other top responses in the survey.
Anyone under the age of 18 will need a parent’s or guardian’s permission to receive the vaccine, according to the county. Additionally, if age cannot be proven with an ID or birth certificate, then the guardian will need to sign a form that states the child falls into the 12 to 15 age group.
Sedgwick County has about 45,000 children between the ages of 12 to 17, the county says.
Now that he’s vaccinated, Jacob said he’s most looking forward to going back to school in person next school year, as a seventh grader at Derby North Middle School.
Rebecca Lofland, 14, who has been learning remotely as a freshman at Northeast Magnet High School, said she’s most looking forward to watching a movie with friends.
She wanted to get the vaccine to make sure that “everyone’s safe and we can just continue on with life … as normal as possible.”
Jacob’s and Rebecca’s families both have planned out-of-state trips this summer and their mothers said they feel more comfortable now that all of their family members have the vaccine.
The Sedgwick County Health Department offers the vaccine at a few locations. A list of those locations and other vaccine providers can be found at sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/vaccine/schedule. Appointments for anyone 12 and older can also be made online.
The Pfizer vaccine, which was previously approved for anyone 16 and older, is the only one approved for ages 12 to 15; the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are only approved for ages 18 and up.
This story was originally published May 13, 2021 at 8:59 AM.