San Francisco parents and legal guardians may now make appointments for their children to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, however, it could be a while before kids receive a shot.
Following a clinical study on the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccination, the CDC has authorized vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11, marking an important milestone in the fight against coronavirus.
"With this major expansion of COVID-19 vaccines to 5 to 11-year-old children, we are getting much closer to San Francisco being fully vaccinated," Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax said in a press release. "Our school-aged children will now have the best defense against the virus – and schools, after school, youth sports programs, and the community will be that much safer."
Health officials strongly urge that all eligible children receive the first COVID-19 shot as soon as possible, however, they also caution that appointments may not be immediately available due to the current spike in demand.
This week, the San Francisco Public Health Department received 12,300 doses of the pediatric version of the vaccine, which is one-third the dose of the regular COVID-19 shot. SFPHU is distributing supplies to community and school sites and independent pediatric providers. Appointments will initially be reserved for children in highly-impacted neighborhoods where access is crucial.
Vaccine supplies are expected to increase to match demand within the next few weeks. For now, patience is key for parents and guardians anxious to get their child vaccinated.
Other sources for vaccine appointments include the state's vaccine booking website and San Francisco's vaccination website.
