As of Thursday, May 13, 2021, Seattle Children’s is offering appointments for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to youth ages 12 to 15, in keeping with FDA and CDC guidance on lowering the age limit for the Pfizer vaccine.
Any individual wishing to make a vaccine appointment at Seattle Children’s must use our scheduling portal. Youth under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to sign the consent at both the first and second dose appointments. They do not need to be a current Seattle Children’s patient to schedule a vaccine appointment.
Vaccine appointments can also be made through the Washington State vaccine locator. Please direct any questions about COVID-19 vaccines at Seattle Children’s to [email protected].
A new algorithm helps PCPs know where to refer patients for concussion at Seattle Children’s.
- Neurology sees patients who have had ongoing headache for over two months, in the absence of a sports injury.
- Sports Medicine sees patients who experienced a sports injury concussion, are at least 6 years old and have not experienced any of the following: hospitalization for more than 24 hours, skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, focal neurological deficit or neurosurgery/brain surgery of any kind in the past.
- Rehabilitation Medicine sees all other concussion patients.
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We have been hearing from providers who are wondering if they could make exceptions to the age limitations on the COVID-19 vaccines and administer the drug “off-label” or under an expanded use exception. While it may be tempting to consider, and there are certainly high-risk scenarios in which it feels like it might be best for a child or adolescent to receive the vaccine as soon as possible, the regulatory status of this vaccine makes that inadvisable at this time. “Off-label” use is allowed for FDA-regulated products that have received full approval, but not in the case of products offered under an emergency use authorization (EUA). Read full post »
Same-day COVID-19 vaccines now available on a limited basis each day for eligible Seattle Children’s inpatients, ambulatory patients who are visiting the hospital for an appointment with their specialist and caregivers who are accompanying ambulatory patients to a same-day appointment.
Same-day appointments are dependent on vaccine availability and clinic capacity each day. We cannot guarantee them or schedule in advance. Read full post »
On March 17, Washington moved to the next phase of COVID-19 vaccination (Phase 1B, Tier 2), which means people who are 16 years and older with certain chronic conditions or disabilities are now eligible to receive the vaccine. Seattle Children’s will continue to serve as a community vaccination site and will offer vaccines through our public portal to all eligible members of the public, as supplies permit.
We are contacting our current patients ages 16 to 21 with certain chronic conditions or disabilities who meet the DOH vaccine eligibility criteria to offer a vaccine appointment. Read full post »
Seattle Children’s is vaccinating individuals who are eligible under Washington state’s Phase 1-A, priority groups 1 and 2, including:
- All workers at risk in healthcare settings except those who belong to another health system that is offering the vaccine.
- Community members who are eligible under state guidelines, when vaccine supplies permit.
Testing update
As of March 3, Seattle Children’s has tested 26,879 patients. 734 have tested positive or inconclusive, for a positivity rate of 2.7%. Approximately half of all positive patients are asymptomptic.
A new study published in JAMA Network Open shows that providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as part of a collaborative care model for youth who have experienced persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) offers a promising treatment to alleviate symptoms and improve functioning.
Every year, an estimated 1.1 to 1.9 million youth suffer a sports-related concussion. Between 20% and 30% of those experience symptoms that last more than 30 days, including mental health challenges such as depression or anxiety. Yet there is a lack of high-quality evidence to guide best practices for the treatment of PPCS in the pediatric population. Read full post »
To improve support for our patients and their families/caregivers, while ensuring the highest level of safety for everyone, starting Thursday, Jan. 28, Seattle Children’s began allowing up to two caregivers in inpatient settings. Previously the limit was one caregiver. In our outpatient settings, the caregiver limit remains one.
Please note:
- Patients in single rooms can have up to two caregivers in their room around the clock.
- Patients in double rooms can have up to two caregivers in their room during visiting hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and one caregiver overnight.
- Patients in ambulatory, urgent care and surgical settings may have one caregiver with them.
- Patients in the Emergency Department may have up to two caregivers with them.
Washington state’s vaccination rates in 2020 fell an alarming 37% for 11- and 12-year-olds and 35% for 13- to 17-year-olds. It is more important than ever to ensure youth are receiving the preventive care they need.
Clinics in King County are invited to boost their vaccination rates by participating in the WA-CHIP learning collaborative. Over a nine-month period, starting in March 2021, clinics will identify opportunities to increase adolescent vaccinations, implement improvements, receive regular data and coaching and participate in a community of clinics working toward the same goals. Read full post »
Dr. Danielle Zerr is medical director of infection prevention at Seattle Children’s.
Is vaccination underway at Seattle Children’s?
Dr. Zerr: Yes. We are pleased to say that Seattle Children’s began vaccinating its workforce for COVID-19 on Dec. 16, 2020. To date, we have received four shipments of the Pfizer vaccine (975 doses each) . We expect the vaccine supply allocated to us by the Washington State Department of Health to arrive in weekly shipments. Like other healthcare systems in Washington, Seattle Children’s has limited information at this time about the types and quantities of vaccines we will receive in the near future. As we learn more, we will share.
We rely on information from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and state and local public health authorities to guide our decisions on safe and equitable distribution of our vaccine supply. Read full post »
