Seattle's Lumen Field offering vaccinations for 12- to 15-year-olds leads to confusion

Kids 12- to 15-years old receive COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle

Kids 12- to 15-years-old were able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine today in Seattle upon the CDC's approval for kids under 16. Q13 News reporter Hana Kim has the latest details.

SEATTLE - When the City of Seattle started vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds for COVID-19 at Lumen Field Wednesday morning, the timeline led to some confusion.

Up until the afternoon, the Department of Health said that even after CDC’s approval, providers were recommended to wait until a safety review board met Wednesday evening before doling out shots to 12- to 15-year-olds.

A spokesperson for DOH sent Q13 News this message at around 2 p.m. Wednesday:

"While we’re very happy the ACIP recommended the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, we are still waiting for the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to meet this evening and share its recommendations. As we’ve said, we encourage parents and providers to wait until we have further information from these groups. We plan to send out information as soon as we have more to share."

To clear up the confusion, Q13 News also reached out to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s office and Governor Jay Inslee's office.

A spokesperson for the governor called the situation complicated but said no rules were being broken at Lumen Field.

A spokesperson for Durkan shared emails from DOH recommending that providers wait. But the email also stated there was nothing prohibiting providers from administering vaccines immediately since Pfizer was approved by the FDA earlier this week.

Later in the day, DOH sent a follow-up email to Q13 News clarifying that providers in fact could technically administer the vaccine.

Parents who showed up to Lumen Field said they heard about the availability through word of mouth and social media.

In the end, about 100 kids in the latest age group were able to get the shot on Wednesday.

"It’s overwhelming, it’s exciting, it’s been a long year. I am now just feeling this," mom Therese Hill told Q13 News, becoming emotional after her 12-year-old son got the vaccine.

Lumen Field will be open for vaccinations on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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