Washingtonians as young as 12 are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine

Effective May 13, all Washingtonians over the age of 12 will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The announcement was made by The Washington State Department of Health on May 12, revealing that the expansion of eligibility was authorized following the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine on those aged 12 to 15.

“Expanding eligibility to this younger age group protects our children and gives families peace of mind,” said Umair A. Shah. MD, MPH, in a press release. “Research continues to show this vaccine is safe, and I am thrilled it is now an option for parents and their young teens.”

• See also: 
  • Johnson & Johnson vaccination temporarily paused in Washington State
  • COVID-19 transmission rates are increasing across Washington State
  • All adults in the US will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines by April 19

Health officials recommend verifying that the vaccine site is administering the Pfizer vaccine as it is the only shot currently authorized for those within the 12 to 17 age group.

To date, Washington State has seen a total of 418,020 coronavirus cases and has vaccinated over one million residents.

Our latest COVID-19 vaccine dose numbers are here! Schedule your vaccine appointment today at https://t.co/GispAIE9Rs. pic.twitter.com/31rtSqwDTi

— WA Dept. of Health (@WADeptHealth) May 13, 2021