COVID-19 vaccinations for kids as young as 6 months

COVID-19 vaccines for patients ages six months and older are now available at HSHS Medical Group drive-thru locations. 

HSHS Medical Group provides COVID-19 vaccines and testing to the public at drive-thru locations in Decatur, Springfield and O’Fallon. Appointments are required for all vaccine doses and testing.

Established patients may receive vaccines and testing at some primary care clinics. Call your local HSHS Medical Group primary care office to check availability.

How to make a vaccine appointment

It is free and easy to create a MyHSHS account and schedule an appointment online:

• Go to www.myhshs.org. 
• Login or create a MyHSHS account by clicking “Sign Up Now.”
• Under Quick Links, click “COVID-19 Vaccine Link.”
• Click “COVID-19 Test/Vaccine” and answer questions on eligibility to schedule a test or a first, second or third dose vaccine appointment.
• You will be able to choose from available appointments at our Springfield, Decatur and O’Fallon drive-thru locations.

Vaccine appointments may also be scheduled by calling 1-844-216-4707. Testing appointments may not be scheduled by phone and must be scheduled online via MyHSHS.

If appointments are full, please check back as additional days and times will be added based on available vaccine supplies and clinic days. You can also visit www.vaccines.gov/search for other vaccine and testing options in your area. To find an HSHS vaccine clinic near you, visit www.HSHS.org/vaccine.

The importance of vaccination

HSHS Medical Group encourages families to speak with their child’s doctor or provider about COVID vaccination. While most children experience mild symptoms from COVID, it doesn’t mean children don’t need the protection of vaccination. “Most kids’ symptoms are mild, but over 500 kids have died with COVID in the past two years. And children can spread COVID to the higher risk people in their lives,” says James M. Bock, MD, chief physician executive of HSHS Medical Group.

While we may be ready to move on, the pandemic continues to be a significant health concern for our communities. “Although harder to track now that home testing is more widely available, the number of COVID cases are pretty high right now. It is expected to further surge with the omicron variants this summer, very similar to the last two summer surges,” says Dr. Bock.

Patients shouldn’t be discouraged when a vaccinated person gets COVID – it doesn’t mean the vaccine isn’t helpful. “The current vaccines were designed based on the original wild type coronavirus and therefore may be less effective at preventing mild infection with the newer variants,” says Dr. Bock. “It’s important to remember that the current vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe infection leading to hospitalization and death.”