Want COVID shot for your kid (and yourself) around Kansas City? Here’s how to get one

Claire Hill turns 12 in a few days and she’s so excited about getting the COVID-19 vaccine that her mom came up with a party theme with a pandemic spin.

“We were talking about what to do for her birthday and I said what if we make appointments for all your friends to get their shots as part of your party,” said her mom, Christina Hill, a writer and stay-at-home mom in Olathe.

“She thinks of it as a birthday present, the ability to get the shot, which means that she has all this freedom that she sorta lost in this last year. … I will literally take her anywhere that will get her vaccinated.”

Kansas City area providers began offering the vaccine to children on Thursday, the day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech shot for ages 12 to 15. Until now, only people 16 or older could be vaccinated.

It’s available from anyone offering the Pfizer vaccine — two doses given at least three weeks apart.

More and more pediatricians are offering the vaccine in their offices but some can’t because they don’t have the necessary cold storage.

Here are other locations across the Kansas City area giving the vaccine to children.

And for adults who have been hesitant until now to get the shot, most of these locations provide vaccine to all ages. The latest incentive: The CDC said Thursday that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 “can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing.”

Erin Morgan, a registered nurse, administers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to 14-year-old Zach Bilyj of Wake Forest, North Carolina, during a vaccination clinic. Kids ages 12 and up are now eligible for the shot.
Erin Morgan, a registered nurse, administers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to 14-year-old Zach Bilyj of Wake Forest, North Carolina, during a vaccination clinic. Kids ages 12 and up are now eligible for the shot.

Children’s Mercy

Children’s Mercy is hosting a series of COVID-19 vaccine clinics for ages 12 to 22. More clinics will be added to meet demand:

May 17: 2 to 8 p.m., Children’s Mercy Adele Hall Campus, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City.

May 19: 2 to 8 p.m., Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas, 5808 W. 110th St., Overland Park.

May 22, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.., Children’s Mercy Adele Hall Campus

Appointments are needed. Walk-ins are not accepted. Sign up at MyChildrensMercy patient portal at childrensmercy.org or call 816-302-6300.

Other hospitals

The University of Kansas Health System will begin offering shots to adolescents on Friday. Current patients can schedule an appointment through their MyChart patient portal. Otherwise, go to kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine or call 913-588-1227.

Olathe Health is offering the vaccine to ages 12-15 at any Olathe family medicine office or pediatric clinic. Appointments can be made by calling a location or using the online patient portal at olathehealth.org.

AdventHealth Shawnee Mission: adventhealth.com/coronavirus-resource-hub for alerts about future vaccine clinics. 877-847-8747.

Truman Medical Centers/University Health: trumed.org.

Olathe Health: olathehealth.org.

Health departments

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment says children 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. A parent or guardian is preferable, but they can designate another adult by signing a consent form at dispenseassist.net. For more information, go to jocogov.org/covid-19-vaccine or call 913-715-2819.

The Platte County Health Department will hold Pfizer clinics from 9 a.m. to noon Friday and 3 to 6 p.m. Monday at 4400 N.W. 41st St. in Riverside. Children 12 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. A parent or guardian is preferred but can designate a non-parent instead. A permission form is available at plattecountyhealthdept.com.

Adults wanting the vaccine should register through the Missouri COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator — plattecountyhealthdept.com. For help, call 877-435-8411.

The Unified Government Public Health Department announced it will offer the vaccine to ages 12-15 during any of the weekday hours at its three mass vaccination sites in Wyandotte County. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Adults are welcome to get their vaccination too. See wycokck.org/COVID-19 for more information. Residents can also call 311 and press 1 for the COVID Hotline.

City of Kansas City: kcmo.gov/coronavirus. If you need help filling out the interest form call 311 or 816-513-1313.

Jackson County: jacohd.org/covid-19-vaccine-survey-tool. 816-404-9883.

Clay County: Clayhealth.com, the website of the Clay County Public Health Center.

Betty Criss, a registered nurse with the Unified Government Public Health Department, gave a COVID-19 vaccination to a resident at the Rosedale Tower in Kansas City, Kansas, on Thursday, May 13, during a mobile vaccination clinic. The health department partnered with the Kansas City, Kansas Housing Authority to provide the clinic to residents in public housing. About 29 residents received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Pharmacies

Balls Food, ballsfoodspharmacy.com (includes Hen House, Price Chopper, Sun Fresh and Payless pharmacies).

Hy-Vee, hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine

Walmart, walmart.com/COVIDvaccine.

CVS, cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine.

Walgreens, walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19

Statewide info

Vaccine clinics in Missouri can be found through the Missouri Vaccine Navigator: covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#navigator. For more information on sites and events, go to MOStopsCovid.com.

Kansas now uses the CDC’s vaccine finder tool, which you can find at vaccines.gov or kansasvaccine.gov/160/Find-My-Vaccine.