White House: 900,000 Children 5-11 Got First Dose in First Week

An estimated 900,000 children ages 5 to 11 received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the first week following its approval for this age group, the White House said Wednesday.

A new batch of 28 million people became eligible for vaccination when the shot was cleared for younger children Nov. 2, and immunizations began almost immediately.

“By the end of the day today, we estimate that over 900,000 kids ages 5-11 will have already gotten their first shot,” said White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients at a press briefing Wednesday. “Seventy thousand additional appointments are already on the calendar at local pharmacies. Parents and families across the country are breathing giant sighs of relief, and we’re just getting started.”

Nearly 20,000 pharmacies, clinics, and doctors’ offices are administering shots for kids, with 114 children’s hospitals across the country setting up vaccination sites with stickers and support animals. This week alone, New York City has more than 1,000 clinics planned at local schools.

Minnesota’s Mall of America is offering shots, with the capacity to vaccinate 1,500 children a day.

Rates of first-time shots in adolescents and adults are also soaring. In the last 7 days, about 300,000 people got their first shot every day — the highest 7-day total in a month.

“The simple truth is, vaccination requirements are working,” Zients said.

More than 25 million Americans have also gotten booster shots.

In the last week, there has been a total of 9 million shots in arms — the highest 1-week total since before the summer.

The administration announced today an investment of $650 million from the American Rescue Plan to expand access to rapid diagnostic tests. This money will go toward increasing manufacturing capacity, as well as raw materials needed to make the test.

The White House also announced an additional $785 million to support community-based organizations working to build vaccine confidence among communities of color and rural populations. It will also go toward an apprenticeship program that works to train community-based health workers to create a more diverse public health work force.

Sources:

News briefing, White House COVID-19 Response Team, Nov. 10, 2021.

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