Mobile Vaccine Service Offering COVID-19 Vaccines For Kids

Parents are getting their kids ready to go back to school. For the first time this year, a mobile immunization service is offering the COVID-19 vaccine for children.

Mobile vaccine sites have been around for a while, preparing underserved kids for the school year by getting them up to date on their shots.

For many parents, it's also their first chance to vaccinate their young children against COVID.

It's one of the busiest times of the year for Oklahoma Caring Foundation Manager Amy Pulliam.

“We are very busy with back to school, so yes we have multiple clinics set up throughout the next I would say five weeks. So that we can provide that mobile access where children and families are during the day," she said.

The nine mobile immunization vans have always stocked traditional vaccines on the CDC's childhood vaccination schedule. But they're even busier with this year's addition.

“The caring vans are now able to offer COVID-19 vaccines to children as young as six months old," she said.

Pulliam said for many parents coming to the mobile clinics, it's the first opportunity they've had to vaccinate their younger children against COVID and many other illnesses.

“By the caring vans bringing those services to where the parents are during the day, we can break down those barriers of cost, transportation, and restrictive clinic hours," Pulliam said.

She said staff at the vans can look up a child's immunization record to see what they need. The nurses are there to answer questions about the COVID vaccine for parents who may be considering it.

“That’s our mission is to provide access to preventive health services. So if a parent is there with their child and they’re ready to get that COVID vaccine that day, I say lets do it. Let's get them started," Pulliam said.

The vans are able to serve children who are six months through the age of 18 who qualify for Medicaid or who are uninsured or are native American. The COVID vaccines are free for everyone regardless of age.