Rhode Island’s new interim health director made her first public appearance in her new role Tuesday morning in West Warwick.
Gov. Dan McKee and Dr. Utpala Bandy toured a Thundermist Health Center that is providing COVID-19 shots to children under 5.
Statewide, about 500 kids under the age of 5 have received the shot.
At the center about a dozen have received a vaccination.
The center is open seven days a week and currently has the Pfizer vaccine but expects to get Moderna later this week.
The governor said he was impressed with the center's inclusiveness, providing services to people of all ages and income levels with or without insurance.
It also marked first time hearing from Bandy in her new role as interim state health director. She encouraged parents to talk to their pediatrician about getting the shot.
"If you can corral them and get them vaccinated and lower the burden of any kind of respiratory virus in that population, you're going to save the grandparents, and extended family from catching the disease as well,” said Bandy.
The governor says he's hopeful more kids will get vaccinated this summer before returning to school in the fall.