SVHC to Host Special Vaccination Clinics for Children Ages 5 - 11

BENNINGTON, VT—November 3, 2021—Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) has scheduled two COVID-19 vaccination clinics for ages 5 – 11 from 1 – 5 p.m. Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6 at their COVID Resource Center at 982 Mansion Drive in Bennington. The clinics are only for children. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Scheduled appointments are preferred, and a limited supply will be available for walk-ins. Families should go to https://vermont.force.com/events/s/selfregistration to make an appointment. Those without Internet access may call (802) 863-7240.

“I highly recommend that every eligible person get vaccinated,” said Trey Dobson, MD, “And I am delighted that eligibility has widened to include people who are ages 5 – 11.”

The supply of vaccine available during this first allocation is limited through the state of Vermont and federal government. A small number of doses are reserved for walk-ins. An additional allocation is expected to be available to patients starting Wednesday, November 17.

“The risk is real, and getting sick is never good for someone’s immune system,” said Trey Dobson, MD, chief medical officer of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. “COVID-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C (inflammatory syndromes), and long-term complications, such as ‘long COVID,’ in which symptoms can linger for months. COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective.”  

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the vaccine for the 5 – 11 age group on Friday, October 29. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided their approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine for ages 5 – 11 on Tuesday, November 2. The state’s online scheduling system opened at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 3.

About SVHC:

Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. It has also received the highest marks possible from the Leapfrog Group. 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.