Lighthouse for Children image via durham-construction.com.

First 5 Fresno County will host a child-centered vaccine clinic at its Lighthouse for Children facility this Thursday. This comes as vaccines are approved for emergency use for children younger than 5 years old. 

The clinic will take walk-ins and insurance is not required. Thursday’s clinic will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vaccines will be available for babies six months and up, according to a news release.

The Lighthouse for Children houses a child development center through a partnership between First 5 Fresno County and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. The child development center serves children aged 6 weeks to 5 years and provides speech therapy, developmental screening and referrals, pregnancy and childbirth support and workshops.

It is a community hub and provides services for the first five years of life. 

“We are delighted the Lighthouse for Children will play a role in creating accessibility to the COVID-19 vaccine through these recurring vaccine clinics,” states Supervisor Brian Pacheco, First 5 Fresno County’s Commission Chair.” The LFC serves as a community hub for families with young children to access services and resources to support the first 5 years of life.

The vaccination clinic will be in partnership with UCSF Fresno COVID-19 Equity Project (CEP) and will run in time for children to be fully vaccinated at the start of August.

Over the last two years, the community has been operating without the added protection of a vaccine for their tiniest members. Fresno County is home to nearly 90,000 children under 5 years old and working parents have had to find alternative childcare or take time off from work to care for children who have tested positive or have been directly exposed to COVID-19. 

“The vaccine will definitely make a difference in our schools and community – and will ultimately help to further reduce COVID-19 transmission rates amongst Fresno County’s children and families,” said Jim Yovino, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. 

First 5 Fresno County Executive Director Fabiola González called the vaccine for children a breakthrough for parents and caregivers. 

The clinic will be recurring at the Lighthouse for Children throughout the summer and fall. Families are encouraged to speak with their child’s primary doctor for more information about vaccines.