After many months of many parents anxiously waiting, COVID-19 vaccines are now approved for young children and infants as young as six months old will be able to get vaccinated.
For children between the ages of six months and five years old, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is a three-dose series with the first two doses administered three weeks apart and a third dose at least two months after the second dose.
The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose series administered four weeks apart.
More details on COVID-19 pediatric vaccines can be found here.
If you live in Maryland, D.C. or Virginia, here’s what you need to know to get your child vaccinated against COVID-19.
DC
COVID-19 vaccine doses for young children ages six months and older are available at COVID centers in all eight wards starting Tuesday.
Doses of the vaccine will be limited initially, with each vaccination center receiving only 150 doses of either the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on the first day — then 60 doses of Pfizer and 140 doses of Moderna available each following day.
For parents or guardians bringing their children to the COVID centers for vaccination, they will need to show proof of District residency, which includes “an ID, piece of mail with your name and address on it, lease, etc.”
In addition, schedules at all COVID centers in the city have been adjusted to be open on Tuesday to receive the first wave of parents bringing their children for the first dose. Other participating vaccine locations are listed on the vaccinate.dc.gov website.
Here are the locations of D.C.’s COVID centers and their schedules for the coming week:
| Ward | Address | Hours |
| 1 | 1000 U Street NW | Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: CLOSED |
| 2 | 926 F Street NW | Monday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: CLOSED |
| 3 | 5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW | Monday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. |
| 4 | 4704 13th Street NW | Monday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: CLOSED |
| 5 | 2350 Washington Place NE, Ste 105-N | Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. |
| 6 | 507 8th Street SE | Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. |
| 7 | 3929 Minnesota Avenue NE | Monday: CLOSED Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. |
| 8 | 3640 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE | Monday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Thursday: 11 a.m. — 9 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. — 8 p.m. Sunday: CLOSED |
Virginia
The Virginia Department of Health is encouraging parents to check in with their physician or health care provider about getting their young children vaccinated and which vaccine types they offer.
VDH also said that they have been planning for vaccine eligibility to expand for several and that parents have several options on where they can take their children. They include:
- Pediatric offices
- Family practice offices
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- Retail pharmacies for children ages 3 years and older
- Local Health Departments
If you are a Virginia resident, you can find free vaccination opportunities near you by visiting vaccinate.virginia.gov or calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and more than 100 other languages.
Alexandria
The Alexandria health department says it will vaccine events at day cares, doctor’s offices and throughout the community. More information can be found online at alexandriava.gov/Vaccines
Fairfax County
Parents are encouraged to call their child’s pediatrician or medical provider to see if they are carrying the vaccine and make an appointment.
Vaccinations using both Moderna and Pfizer doses are expected to be available at two county sites. They are the:
You won’t be able to get your very young child vaccinated at a pharmacy or grocery store. Current Virginia law limits pharmacists to administering vaccines for those 3 years and older.
Loudoun County
Loudoun County health officials say the best place for children to receive their COVID shots is at their pediatrician’s office.
The county health department is offering vaccinations for those 6 months and older at its clinic location in Leesburg by appointment only. Call (703) 737-8300 or email health@loudoun.gov for more information.
Maryland
Maryland providers have started receiving their shipments of the under-5 vaccine this week, according to Chase Cook, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Health.
While pediatric offices were the priority for ordering the vaccine for young kids, Cook said that not every practice ordered it. The vaccine will also be available at local health departments, federally qualified health centers and pharmacies.
Those looking for a pediatric vaccine should talk with the child’s pediatrician or family doctor.
You can search for vaccines online at covidVAX.maryland.gov. The website should be updated early this week for the under 5 vaccines and it will be continuously updated as more providers order the vaccine.
Marylanders who need help making an appointment or who have questions can call the MDH GoVAX Call Center at 855-MD-GoVAX (855-634-6829).
Hours and location for the State Center Vaccination, Testing and Treatment Site can be found here.
Montgomery County
Starting Wednesday, children between 6 months and 5-years-old can get vaccinations at Montgomery County-run clinics by appointment only.
Sean O’Donnell, with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services said in a briefing Tuesday morning, “We’re strongly encouraging families to reach out to their pediatrician,” to see if they can arrange for vaccinations.
O’Donnell explained that, while Montgomery County has already received a shipment of the pediatric vaccines, “there is a limited amount of the vaccine that has been allocated to the health department.”
More pediatric vaccines are expected to be made available to health departments in the coming weeks, said O’Donnell. He said DHHS will continue to work with the county’s public schools to work out when and where clinics will be set up.
According to the county’s website, appointments will be added each day at 3 p.m.
Information on appointments will be posted on the Montgomery County COVID-19 vaccine website.
Frederick County
The health department is offering vaccination clinics specifically for children 6 months to 5 years old at its 585 Himes Avenue in Frederick. Appointments are required.
You can see clinic times and locations and book your child’s appointment online.
Baltimore County
Officials are offering under-5 vaccines at county COVID clinics but appointments are required. You can find more information and make appointments online.
WTOP’s Joshua Barlow and Jack Moore contributed to this report.
