Virginia ranks among the top 10 states when it comes to vaccinating children for COVID-19. State health officials say they’re proud of the progress made so far, and now have to focus their efforts on the state’s youngest kids.
The older a kid gets, the more likely they are to be vaccinated – which makes sense, says Christy Gray with the Virginia Department of Health. Partially because most children in Virginia in the 5 and under category aren’t allowed to get vaccinated at pharmacies.
“Most of our five year to 17 year olds have received their vaccine at a pharmacy,” Gray said. “They also, the zero to four year olds, became eligible after the state run vaccination services such as mobile health and community vaccination centers closed down.”
This week Gray told members of the state health commissioner’s advisory council on health disparity and health equity that it’s really important pediatricians and family doctors have the vaccine on hand at appointments to lower the vaccine barrier for families with young children.
“So they can give it to them that day,” she explained.
Gray says childhood vaccination rates are following the same patterns as adults: higher in urban areas, lower in rural ones.
But when more kids are vaccinated there’s a community benefit: a lower chance of disruptions in schools and daycares.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
