By CAMILA FERNANDEZ
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
The state health department reports fewer than 9,000 children ages 5 to 11 in Indiana have been given their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine despite it being available for more than a week.
State leaders hoped that number would grow significantly this weekend with the opening of several new vaccine clinics.
The Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Noblesville is one place offering kids’ vaccinations. Christian Walker, the emergency preparedness coordinator for the Hamilton County Health Department, said kids’ vaccinations are “an important step. You know, we’re looking at potentially removing masks in the school districts.”
The demand for vaccines at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds clinic is exceeding the supply, for now. “The state department of health is doing a rollout similar to when we first started vaccinating the adults as well, so we all are getting an allocation based on our population,” Walker said.
Hamilton County’s clinic requires appointments for kids ages 5 to 11. Appointments can be made for any Hoosier wanting to be vaccinated at ourshot.in.gov.
Walker says a lot of it ties back to their high vaccination rates of adults. “It’s those parents that have been vaccinated as well and the grandparents that want to see their kids especially with the holidays coming up,” he said. “This is that one more thing we can do to safeguard ourselves and our families.”