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Vol. 18, No. 9
November 17, 2021
COVID vaccine for kids authorized, offered locally Tribal Health offers vaccine clinics in Arlee, Ronan, Polson By Kristi Niemeyer for the Valley Journal
Sports pg. 12
DAR Donation pg. 14
Grants pg. 16
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ribal Health nurses were in Polson schools and other locations last week, offering parents the opportunity to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19. After rigorous studies, the Centers for Disease Control recently authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 5-11. Kids under 12 receive an age-appropriate dose that is one-third of the adult dose and delivered with smaller needles. They need a second shot three weeks after receiving the first. Adolescents ages 12 years and older receive the same dosage of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as adults, and also require a second shot. Linderman Principal Kristin Wilson said about 20 children received their first dose
PHOTO COURTESY OF POLSON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Myles and Vance Means attended last week’s COVID vaccination clinic at Linderman School in Polson with dad Chauncey.
last Tuesday evening. “The parents who were there were excited about the vaccines being available for their children,” she said. “It went very smoothly.” Another clinic is slated for Thursday, Nov. 18, at Cherry Valley Elementary School. Two employees at
St. Luke Community Healthcare who were eager to get their children vaccinated spoke to their confidence in the vaccine, and their hope that it would help protect both kids and the community. “There are many reasons why we wanted to get our kids vaccinated,”
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said Jen Nelson, the hospital’s infection control nurse. Her husband, Seth, is pastor at Ronan’s Lutheran church, and the couple’s children, Freja and Otto, were vaccinated last week. “Mostly we wanted to protect those we pray for in our church, our kids’ friends in school and our
neighbors we care for here in Ronan,” she said. Whitney Liegakos, St. Luke’s head of community education and public relations, had her 7-year-old daughter, Elise Cantlon, vaccinated last week too. “She was a bit nervous, but see page 2
