“Strong” start to kids vaccine campaign, but challenges loom

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 900,000 kids aged 5-11 will have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in their first week of eligibility, the White House said Wednesday.

Final clearance for the shots was granted by federal regulators on Nov. 2, with the first doses to kids beginning in some locations the following day.

Now nearly 20,000 pharmacies, clinics and physicians’ offices are administering the doses and the Biden administration estimates that by the end of Wednesday more than 900,000 of the kid doses will have been administered.

Kids who begin the two-dose regimen by the end of next week will have full protection from the vaccines by Christmas.

You can also find a vaccine near you by using this tool.

For more information on COVID-19, go to the CDC website, the Tennessee Department of Health website or call (877) 857-2945.

Additional COVID-19 information can be found in the “COVID-19” tab of the website.

You can find more local news through the WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News app.