Where to find pediatric COVID vaccines in Atlanta

Starting this week, public health departments throughout metro Atlanta will start administering the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11.

• Pediatric cases of COVID-19 in Georgia increased in August, according to state health officials.

Driving the news: Georgia is home to 987,000 children who are now eligible to receive the vaccine, according to Fulton County health officials. Roughly 11% of those kids live in Fulton.

• Most young children are unvaccinated, which makes them the most vulnerable age group to COVID-19, medical experts say.
• Clinical trials of the two-dose series in children ages 5 to 11 showed the vaccine was 90.7% effective protecting against symptomatic COVID-19, the CDC says.

Flashback: Last week, the CDC approved a pediatric version of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. It’s one-third of a dose of the version given to adults.

Details: DeKalb health officials will start administering the vaccine to children today at its health centers. The Gwinnett, Rockdale, and Newton County Health Departments will also begin offering the shot.

• Health officials in Fulton will begin giving jabs tomorrow. Cobb and Douglas Public Health received the OK to begin giving the vaccine to kids starting this past Friday.

Some clinics and CVS and Walgreens started administering the vaccine this weekend. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is offering vaccinations outside its emergency departments and at Satellite Boulevard and Town Center locations. CHOA has names of other locations available throughout metro Atlanta.

What’s next: Appointments are required in Fulton — call 404-613-8150 or sign up online — and at some CHOA clinics, though walk-ups are available at many locations. To find a convenient option near you visit the Georgia Department of Public Health's website or vaccines.gov.

Thomas’ thought bubble: While you’re there, maybe get a flu shot, too.