Families can schedule Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots for their 16- and 17-year-old children by appointment at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) COVID-19 vaccine clinic locations.

It’s in response to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting Dec. 9 the booster Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for this age group and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsing it on the same day.

Those age 16 and 17 who had previous Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines at least six months earlier can receive the booster shot.

“Preliminary research has shown that booster shots help strengthen our protection against new variants of COVID-19,” said infectious diseases physician Timothy Friel, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine, for LVHN.

“Data suggest that levels of protection from the initial series can decrease with time. The additional shot six months after the initial series provides significant reduction in risk of acute illness and the other complications of COVID-19,” Friel said.

To schedule a child’s appointment:

1. Go to MyLVHN, the LVHN patient portal: Sign In, Sign Up

You may need to request proxy access to your child’s MyLVHN account to schedule the appointment. Contact your child’s provider. If your child does not have an LVHN provider, call 888-402-LVHN (5846).

2. Call the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline: 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD), 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.

LVHN COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic locations are:

1. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - Northampton Crossings

2. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - Pocono

3. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - Hazleton

4. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - Schuylkill

5. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic - MacArthur Road

Information: www.LVHN.org/vaccines