NPR

COVID vaccines are finally here for young kids. But the logistics aren't easy

NPR talks to Claire Hannan, who has helped navigate vaccine rollouts in all 50 states, about some of the challenges involved in quickly getting shots out to millions of young kids.
A mother holds her 1-year-old son as he receives the child Covid-19 vaccine in his thigh at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, Mass., on June 21, 2022. The temple was one of the first sites in the state to offer vaccinations to anyone in the public.

My daughter was only just starting to walk when the pandemic started. Now she's almost four, and in all that time — growing up, going to school — she's had no access to any protection from COVID-19 vaccines.

That changes this week. The White House has rolled out a plan for vaccinating the 19 million kids under 5 in the U.S., but if you're just coming out of the holiday weekend trying to figure out where to find an appointment, you're not alone.

has been helping immunization managers from all 50 states navigate COVID-19 vaccine rollouts as the executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. She told NPR what's been happening behind the scenes to get this new low-dose formulation of Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines out so that little kids can finally get

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min readAmerican Government
A Michigan Grassroots Effort Is Raising Reparations, While The Government Lags
The year 2020 was a turning point for Lansing, Michigan resident Willye Bryan. Between the racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd and the health disparities that hit the African American community during the pandemic, she knew it was t
NPR2 min readAmerican Government
Majorie Taylor Greene Is Planning A Vote Next Week To Oust Speaker Johnson
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., says she will follow through on her threat to hold a vote to oust Speaker Mike Johnson sometime next week, despite signs that her effort will fail.
NPR2 min read
Walmart Says It Will Close Its 51 Health Centers And Virtual Care Service
The Arkansas-based company said that after managing the clinics it launched in 2019 and expanding its telehealth program, it concluded "there is not a sustainable business model for us to continue."

Related Books & Audiobooks