FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell announced Tuesday it will now offer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children and teens ages 12 and older.
This comes after the Montgomery County Health Department received its approval to begin vaccinating children 12 and up on Friday.
“We are happy to be able to offer vaccines for our 12 to 15 year old beneficiaries,” BACH commander Col. Patrick T. Birchfield said in a news release.
“The FDA has issued (emergency use authorizations) for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines being administered at Blanchfield. These vaccines have gone through extensive clinical testing with tens of thousands of study volunteers,” Birchfield continued.
Pfizer’s clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine involving 12 through 15 year olds showed 100% efficacy, robust antibody responses and no serious side effects, the news release said.
As of Monday, BACH’s COVID vaccination team has led the administration of more than 44,650 COVID vaccines according to Laura Boyd, public affairs officer at BACH. More than 29,850 of those are first dose vaccines, Boyd added.
In the news release, Birchfield urged parents and caregivers to consider vaccinating their children and teens when the vaccine becomes available to them.
“Although most children who get COVID-19 seem to recover, we do not know the lasting impacts COVID-19 may have on them. As more contagious strains of the virus spread, it is critically important to protect children and teens with the COVID-19 vaccination,” Birchfield said.
To schedule an appointment for those TRICARE beneficiaries ages 12 and up, go to https://blanchfield.tricare.mil and click on the Dose 1 link. Please ensure you are able to return for your second vaccine 21 days after you schedule your first dose. Parents must accompany children and teens ages 12 through 17 to sign required paperwork.