SAN DIEGO — Around 20 million young children in the United States are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Over the weekend, the CDC gave final approval for kids as young as six months old to get the shots.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Western States committee approved Moderna’s vaccine for children ages 6 months to 5 years and Pfizer’s for children ages 6 months to 4 years.
San Diego County children in those age groups will now be able to get vaccinated at their pediatrician’s office, community clinics and some retail pharmacies.
According to Rady Children's Hospital, it's scheduled to give out 500 doses to children Tuesday.
"We can have a bit more of a relaxed summer, see some family, just let our guards down a little bit more now that he’s got this," said mom Frances Cavanaugh. Her 2-year-old son Milo received the Moderna shot Tuesday morning.
"He was born in 2020, in January," she said tearfully. "He was a NICU baby. We were scared from the get-go about his safety, and then throw [the pandemic] on top of it."
"To finally be able to get this is so meaningful for us," she added.
“While children have not been as susceptible to COVID-19, it’s important that they, too, are vaccinated to keep them from getting sick and passing the virus to others,” said Wilma J. Wooten. M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. Wooten added, “Some parents have been eagerly anticipating the COVID vaccine for their younger kids. They should make an appointment to get them vaccinated as soon as possible.”
Smaller Doses for Younger Kids
The vaccines for children this age will be given in much smaller doses. The Pfizer vaccine will be given in three shots, each containing one tenth of an adult dose. The first two doses would be given three weeks apart and the final shot at least two months later.
The Moderna shot for kids under 6 is a two-dose series, given about four weeks apart. Each dose contains one quarter of the adult dose.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna shots for kids under 6 are given with smaller needles and, most times, it is administered in the leg.
Everyone 5 years and older can get a vaccine and boosters at no cost. Parental consent is required for all eligible minors to be vaccinated.
Vaccination Progress:
- Received at least one shot: More than 2.97 million or 94.4% of San Diegans age 5 and older are at least partially vaccinated.
- Fully vaccinated: Over 2.63 million or 83.6%.
- Boosters administered: 1,358,992 or 58.7% of 2,316,581 eligible San Diegans.
- More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.
Deaths:
- Three additional deaths were reported since the last report on June 9. The region’s total is 5,318.
- Of those three additional deaths, two were men and one was a woman. They died between June 9, 2022 and June 11, 2022; the three deaths occurred in the past week.
- Two of the people who died were 80 years or older and one was in their 70s.
- Two of the people who died were fully vaccinated and one was not.
- All three had underlying medical conditions
Cases, Case Rates, Hospitalizations and Testing:
- 4,003 COVID-19 cases were reported to the County in the past three days (June 13 – June 15, 2022). The region’s total is now 813,035.
- 9,672cases were reported in the past week (June 9 through June 15) compared to 10,370 infections identified the previous week (June 2-June 8).
- San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents 12 years of age and older is 42.13 for people fully vaccinated and boosted, 25.06 for fully vaccinated people and 75.59 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
- 12,412 tests were reported to the County on June 11, and the percentage of new positive cases was 11% (Data through June 11).
- The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases, among tests reported through June 11, is 10.7%.
WATCH RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as six-months-old being rolled out in San Diego County