In a significant public health development, Santa Clara County has rolled out vaccination services at a local pharmacy for its youngest demographic yet. Infants as young as six months can now receive vaccinations at the pharmacy located at 976 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose. This marks the first time in the county that a pharmacy has opened its doors to vaccinate babies and toddlers under the age of three, according to information from the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. The service was previously limited to children three years and older.
"Our team recognized a need and stepped up to help," said Dr. Sarah Rudman, the Health Officer and Director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, in a statement obtained by the County's news portal. Rudman highlighted that the decision was in response to parents' concerns about the lack of available COVID-19 vaccinations for their youngest children due to various administrative reasons. She expressed pride in the county pharmacists who obtained additional training to truly fulfill this critical need.
Six county-employed pharmacists received specialized training from pediatric nurses at Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) to prepare them for the task. They covered areas essential for dealing with infant patients, including assessment, parent education, and vaccine administration. The additional oversight allows for vaccination services for this age group, which requires more stringent oversight compared to vaccinating older children.
"The pharmacists were quick learners," reported Josephine Andales, SCVH pediatrics nurse manager, according to the same County report. As flu and COVID-19 cases trend upward in the county, as evidenced by increased viral presence in wastewater monitoring, county health officials are reminding residents that it’s not too late to carefully plan and "get your updated fall 2025 flu and fall 2025 COVID shot." Vaccinations are recommended for everyone aged six months and older, with the shots covered by most health insurance plans in California.
While the recommendation is that one's regular healthcare provider best administer vaccinations, the Lenzen pharmacy is stepping in to fill service gaps. With the holidays nearly upon us and the spread of respiratory viruses on the rise, officials stress the importance of being up-to-date with vaccinations. Parents can now schedule vaccination appointments for their infants and toddlers at the Lenzen pharmacy from Monday to Friday by using the Schedule Appointment link provided by the county.
