Morris Hospital hosting pediatric vaccine clinics in November

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers will offer pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinics Wednesday, Monday and Nov. 23, according to a news release from Morris Hospital.

These clinics are for children, ages 5 to 11, and are by appointment only. Children must be accompanied by an adult, the release said. Bring your insurance card even though you will have no out-of-pocket cost, the release said.

At the clinic, the children will receive one-third of the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 from a small needle that is designed for children, the release said. A 15-minute observation period will follow, the release said.

Children will then need their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine three weeks after the first shot, the release said.

Morris Hospital explained why children, ages 5 to 11, should receive the vaccine:

· COVID-19 cases in children can result in hospitalization, death, MIS-C (inflammatory syndromes) and “long COVID” symptoms lingering for months.

· Vaccination can protect children from COVID-19.

· Vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among children aged 5 to 11 years.

· Vaccine side effects were mild and self-limiting in clinical trials. The most common side effect was a sore arm.

Wednesday’s clinic will be from 8 a.m. to noon, in the upper level of the Morris Healthcare Center, 151 W. High St., Morris. To schedule, call 815-705-7810.

The Nov. 22 clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Morris Hospital Ridge Road Campus, Suite 201, 27240 W. Saxony Dr., Channahon. To schedule, call 815-467-1518.

The Nov. 23 clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Morris Hospital Diamond-Coal City Campus, 1450 E. Division St., Diamond. To schedule, call 815-705-1976.