CVS Health announced Wednesday that it is making the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine available for adolescents ages 12 to 15 at 170 of its New Jersey stores, beginning Thursday morning.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized use of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents late Wednesday.
CVS Health officials said parental or legal guardian consent is required, and that children must be accompanied by an adult.
Because the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents in this age group, patients are encouraged to schedule an appointment online at cvs.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app to ensure availability. Walk-ins are also accepted.
The scheduling tool will only display appointments at CVS Pharmacy locations that have the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Return Ready, CVS Health’s comprehensive COVID-19 testing and vaccine solution for businesses, schools and other organizations, also will meet the expanded eligibility for adolescents ages 12 to 15. Schools, businesses and other organizations with more than 48 participants can sponsor an on-site clinic with COVID-19 vaccines administered by CVS Heath for eligible populations.
Learn more and complete the online clinic submission form here.
CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch said increasing access is key. The vaccine will be available at more than 5,600 CVS locations nationally.
“With every new wave of eligibility, our teams have worked around the clock to ensure vaccine access as soon as possible,” she said. “Offering vaccinations to younger populations at thousands of locations across the country brings us one step closer to prevailing over the pandemic.”
CVS Health has administered more than 17 million COVID-19 vaccines in long-term care and retail settings and will be offering vaccinations at more than 9,600 CVS Pharmacy locations across 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., as of this Sunday. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population resides within 10 miles of a CVS Pharmacy.
