Kids in Monroeville first in area to get COVID-19 vaccinations

PITTSBURGH — “I’m excited now that I finally got my shot!” It was a major moment for an 8-year-old UPMC patient from Mount Lebanon.

With mom nearby, she rolled up her sleeve and made history at UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in Monroeville.

She’s the first child in the Pittsburgh region to get the COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 5-11.

“It feels fine, but it hurt a little bit whenever it happened,” the girl said.

The CDC officially green-lit the smaller dose of the Pfizer shot for the girl’s age group Tuesday.

Her mom couldn’t contain her excitement, especially as they’ve dealt with quarantines, remote learning and cancellations of many events.

“I’m proud of her for being brave in the first sense, but I want my kids to get back to normal ASAP. We’ve missed seeing family for almost 2 years at this point,” the girl’s mom, Erin, said.

UPMC pediatrician Dr. William Varley called it a pivotal moment and a gamechanger for children’s health.

“Now we can get started, and I think this will be a very important step to kind of putting COVID behind us,” said Varley.

As for the 8-year-old patient post shot -- she told Channel 11 News she’s already making plans.

“I wanna have more sleepovers with my friends and see my family more and be more healthy,” she said.

UPMC said you can start booking appointments for your child’s shot today.

• All families can schedule by visiting vaccine.upmc.com or calling 844-UPMCVAC (844-876-2822) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days a week.
• If your child is an existing UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics patient, you can schedule an appointment online at www.childrenspeds.com or by calling your pediatrician’s office.

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