Richmond, VA. (NewsradioWRVA.com) -With the CDC giving approval to 5 to 11 year-olds receiving a COVID vaccine, State Vaccine Coordinator Dr. Danny Avula says that, within the next couple of days, parents will have the opportunity to schedule a Pfizer COVID shot for their child.
The doses are being distributed to pediatrician's offices, health departments and pharmacies. Dr. Avula says that while the virus remains mild for kids, that changed with the Delta variant. He says there was a five-fold increase in hospitalizations with that. Avula says that adding this age group to the vaccination mix will increase community protection against the virus.
Dr. Avula does direct parents to vaccinate.virginia.gov to schedule appointments, which should be available by the end of this week. Avula says that the percentage of kids 12 and up who are fully vaccinated is at 73.5 percent in Virginia. He's hoping that in the next six months or so, 65 percent of the 5 to 11 year-olds will be vaccinated.