Weekly Update for 11.12.21
Child and Teen COVID Vaccination: What to Expect

Scheduling an appointment is easy - just visit chdcovidvax.org and click the button to schedule a pediatric COVID vaccine visit at the Chatham or Glynn County Health Departments.

The next step is preparing your child for vaccination. The experience will be similar to getting routine vaccines. Here are a few tips and suggestions to consider:  

• Talk to your child before vaccination about what to expect. Be honest with your child. Explain that shots can pinch or sting, but that it won’t hurt for long.
• Engage other family members, especially older siblings, to support your child.
• Remind your child that vaccines can keep him or her healthy.
• Celebrate the completion of this important milestone with a small treat like a lollipop or going to the park for the afternoon.
• Make sure your attitude is calm and confident. Your child will often take their cues from you, so be warm, attentive, and relaxed.

After Vaccination

Your child may have some side effects after vaccination, similar to the side effects experienced by some adults. 

There may be some pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where your child got the shot. It's also possible that your child could experience some tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, or nausea.

These side effects are normal signs that your child's body is building protection. Side effects are usually mild and should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects and severe allergic reactions are rare. It is not recommended you give pain relievers before vaccination to try to prevent side effects.

COVID-19 vaccine for adults and children is free of charge in the United States, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. In addition to public health locations, pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is also available in many doctor's offices and pharmacies.

If you have questions about vaccines and your child, please talk with your pediatrician or your local health department. More information is also available on the websites of the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Sesame Street: The ABCs of COVID Vaccines

Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Erica Hill, along with Big Bird and friends, helps answer questions from kids and families about the COVID-19 vaccine, recently approved for children ages 5-11. 

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics in the Coastal Health District

The Coastal Health District and CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) offer mobile vaccination clinics throughout our area. The clinics are open to anyone age 12 and older, and there is no cost for vaccine.

Click the button below to view upcoming events and pre-register for an appointment. Walk ups are also welcome.

Consider This: COVID-19 has killed more Americans in 2 years than HIV/AIDS since the 1980s.

COVID-19 has taken 750,000 American lives in the last two years. That number now surpasses the 700,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS in the United States in the last four decades, making COVID-19 our country's deadliest pandemic.