Governor Hochul Announces New PSA to Encourage Parents and Caregivers to Vaccinate 5-11 Year-Olds Against COVID-19

Newest Eligibility Category is Another Key Component to Curbing Virus Spread

156,244 Children Aged 5-11 Statewide Have Received Their First Dose

PSA Can Be Viewed in English and Spanish Here and Here

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that a new PSA will be hitting the airwaves starting today aimed at encouraging vaccination of 5-11 year-olds against COVID-19. The seven-week campaign will air statewide in English and Spanish November through January on television, radio and social media and is focused on alleviating concerns and reassuring parents and caregivers of the benefits of getting vaccinated. 156,244 children aged 5-11 statewide have already received their first dose since the FDA approved, and the CDC recommended, the vaccine for this age group.

"Parents across the State have been waiting for the opportunity to vaccinate and protect children from the COVID-19 virus and now they can," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is safe, free, and easy to get. I encourage parents and guardians to schedule an appointment with their child's pediatrician, primary care provider, pharmacies, and State mass vaccination sites. New York State continues to support our local health care providers in this critical vaccination effort and this PSA amplifies a simple message across the state - let's get everyone vaccinated, including our kids."

PSA Script:

The COVID vaccine for kids 5 to 11?

Yeah, I had questions.

So, I called my kids' doctor.

I totally trust her.

We talked about the lower dosage for younger kids, possible side effects, and why the vaccine is so important.

But I still wasn't sure, so I asked her, "What about your kids? Are they vaccinated?"

She said, "Absolutely."

And that's all I needed to know.

Voice Over Tag: Talk to your child's health care provider about COVID vaccines for kids 5 and older.

End Screen Text: Learn more at ny.gov/VaxForKids

Kids ages 5-11 are now eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine.

New Yorkers looking to schedule vaccine appointments for 5-11-year-old children are encouraged to contact their child's pediatrician, family physician, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies that may be administering the vaccine for this age group. Parents and guardians can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. Make sure that the provider offers the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, as the other COVID-19 vaccines are not yet authorized for this age group. Please check New York's Am I Eligible site for more information.

Unfortunately, vaccination misinformation is also prevalent online, in the media, and in our communities. To combat this, New York's newest PSA encourages parents with questions or concerns to talk to their child's health care provider as a source of credible information. Parents can also get accurate and reliable information at our #getthevaxfacts website here.

Visit our new website for parents and guardians for new information, frequently asked questions and answers, and resources specifically designed for parents and guardians of this age group.

For more information about how you can get the vaccine for your child please see here.

For information about vaccines for adults or booster shots, please see here.

For information about the vaccine, please see here.