Local health departments are sending positive reports when it comes to getting kids ages 5-11 vaccinated.
Rock Island County Health Department will host a clinic on Saturday to get more children vaccinated.
The county alone has administered a total of 188 pediatric Pfizer vaccines with 136 of those coming from the health department.
Additionally, just on Wednesday, Whiteside County made its pediatric vaccine available for all eligible children, regardless of whether they live or attend school in Whiteside County. The county scheduled 89 appointments between Nov. 5-16 for kids ages 5-11.
Genesis Medical Center – West Campus has reported it vaccinated more than 500 children ages five-11 with the Pfizer vaccine.
While many clinics have received the vaccine, it remains a waiting game for many who still are slowly receiving vaccines.
“We have a lot fewer appointments available because we don’t have enough vaccines for the children because it just hasn’t been manufactured yet,” said Janet Hill, Rock Island Health Department chief operating officer.
Another limitation health department staff members face during the pediatric Pfizer rollout is the inability to do mass vaccination clinics with kids, said Hill.
However, there are many children who already have received their vaccine with plans to ramp those numbers up as soon as possible, said Cheryl Lee, with Whiteside County Health Department.
“Our initial allotment was limited; I’m going to guess to get as much vaccine out there– of course larger population areas saw a lot more vaccine than we did,” Lee said. “But now that there’s flow of the vaccine and getting everyone vaccinated, we have a lot more leeway in the amount of doses that we can order,” said Lee.
That’s a shipment the Rock Island Health Department has made special plans around, with a clinic opening for children ages 5-11 on Saturday, just in time for the holidays.
Slots for those appointments will be live Thursday morning on Rock Island County Health Department’s Facebook page.