Some Southern California Pharmacies Already Vaccinating Teenagers After CDC Clears Way
GRANADA HILLS (CBSLA) - Some Southern California pharmacies are already offering the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 15 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the recommendation.
A line of parents and kids packed a Santa Clarita CVS just hours after the CDC gave its final approval. One of the first to receive the shot was 14-year-old Brooke Drew.
"My arm is a little bit sore just where the needle was put in," Drew told CBSLA's Lesley Marin. "I never would regret taking the vaccine as what's the harm in taking it. It can protect myself and others."
She's the newest and final member of her family to get the vaccine and it's a moment her mother's been waiting for.
"They missed school. They missed their friends. She missed the whole eighth grade experience," Karen Drew said.
Progress to get younger people vaccinated came after people aged 17 and younger made up 18% of the coronavirus cases in April.
"Fortunately, this pandemic has not affected kids to the same degree as adults. There are rare cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, and so those can be life threatening," Dr. Chad Vercio, chair of pediatrics at Riverside University Health System, said.
Most of LA County will open vaccination sites to families on Thursday. Long Beach will open three sites. The grocery store chain Ralphs will also be offering the Pfizer vaccine to teenagers.
Anyone under 17 wanting to get vaccinated will need to be accompanied by an adult and have a photo ID showing proof of age.
