The Greatest Gift of All? A Fully Vaccinated Family!

Renown joins Washoe County Health District to Offer COVID-19 Vaccines to Children 5-11 at Vaccine Clinics.

Renown Health is partnering with the Washoe County Health District to help distribute the initially available, limited supplies of an age-appropriate dose of the COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to children ages 5-11. At this time, all residents 5 years and older are eligible to receive a vaccine.

Renown announced today that for parents/guardians with proxy access for their children through the Renown MyChart app, vaccination appointments are now available for children ages 5-11. Pending supply, Renown expects to be able to vaccinate 1,600 children with the 2-dose series in a limited series of weekend clinics.

At this time, due to limited supplies, no vaccines for children are available through Renown Medical Group pediatric offices. Vaccine appointments may only be scheduled through the Renown MyChart app; please do not contact a Renown doctor/health care provider or the Engagement Center at this time. There is no cost to establish a Renown MyChart account, and you do not need to have a Renown provider to enroll. For MyChart Technical Support, call 775-982-2781. Renown is covering all costs of the vaccine, and it is offered free of charge.

“As a pediatrician, an intensive care physician, a public health practitioner and a grandparent, I encourage parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 now. No child should suffer, be hospitalized or die from a disease that can prevented by simply getting a shot,” says Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President & CEO of Renown Health. “We remain steadfast in fighting the good fight for our community, and that includes protecting kids. Being able to serve kids and their parents, with the only Children’s Hospital in northern Nevada, and being able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children is incredibly gratifying for our team. This vaccine will prevent deaths, ICU admissions and will prevent significant long-term adverse outcomes in children."

“I tell parents, get your kids vaccinated now- because every kid is at risk,” says Kristina Deeter, M.D., MBA, Pediatric Intensivist, and Vice Chair of Pediatrics at Renown Children’s Hospital. “Please get your family- including your kids, vaccinated now to keep your family safe. Being fully vaccinated and being able to hug Grandma and Grandpa at the holidays may be the greatest gift of all this holiday season.”

“The CDC recommends everyone ages 5 and older get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect against COVID-19. Widespread vaccination for COVID-19 is a critical tool to protect everyone, especially those at highest risk, from severe illness and death. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only option currently authorized for children,” says Vanessa Slots, MD, a pediatrician with Renown Children’s. “It was found to give kids strong protection against COVID-19, including against the Delta variant. Children who are vaccinated may have some side effects (chills, redness and swelling at site injection), which are normal signs that their body is building protection.”

Children are advised not to receive the vaccine if:

• They are ill at the time of vaccination (fever, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea or acute illness).

• They have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the previous 14 days.

• They have a history of significant allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.

About Renown Health

Renown Health is the region’s largest not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.

Saving Lives Through Awareness: Renown Health Recognizes National Fentanyl Awareness Day

Medication-assisted treatment program at Renown’s Stacie Mathewson Institute offers support for this in recovery from addiction The Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health & Addiction Institute at Renown Health stands with northern Nevada communities on Fentanyl Awareness Day, recognized nationwide on April 29 annually. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Unlike medical fentanyl, illegally made fentanyl is often made in unsanitary conditions, not carefully dosed or blended and laced in other street drugs, including pills, powders and crystals. Renown encourages all community members visit FentanylAwarenessDay.org for resources tailored for many different groups, including families, schools, companies and more. “Opioid addiction is an epidemic nationwide, and Nevada is no exception – and with dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl becoming easier to access, it’s our responsibility as healthcare professionals to take action,” said Takesha Cooper, MD, Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med). “It’s important for our community to know what they can do to help themselves, or someone they love, who may be struggling with fentanyl addiction. The Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health & Addiction Institute is here to help those affected by fentanyl.”

Renown Health

Termination of HHS ARPA Funds Leads to Suspension of Services at Renown Crisis Center

After thoughtful consideration and a careful review of current circumstances, services have been suspended at the Renown Crisis Care Center. The Center, which provided short-term, 23-hour behavioral health crisis intervention services was funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant that was recently terminated by Health & Human Services (HHS). Renown leaders are working with representatives on the federal, state, and local level on alternative funding sources with the goal of resuming operations when a sustainable form of funding is identified.

Northern Nevada Public Health Officials Call on Parents to Vaccinate Children as Measles Cases Are Identified Across U.S. and Spring Break Travel Increases Risk

Reno, Nev. (Mar. 14, 2025) – Today, top public health experts and pediatricians across northern Nevada met with area media to call on parents to have their children vaccinated for measles, as cases increase in parts of the United States, and Spring Break travel increases the potential for infection. As of March 2025, 222 measles cases have been reported in 12 US states, with 1 confirmed death and 1 death under investigation. 94% of those cases were among individuals who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. The experts stressed that the most important thing individuals can do to help protect themselves, their families, and their communities from measles is to be sure everyone who can be vaccinated is up to date on their measles vaccination

View All Press Releases