COVID-19 shot rates off to a slow start for Minnesota kids under 5

Just 7% of Minnesota children under 5 have gotten a COVID-19 shot since the vaccines were approved for the cohort last month, state data show.

The big picture: The lack of local interest mirrors national trends.

• The same percentage of parents responding to Kaiser Family Foundation’s latest national vaccine monitor survey reported vaccinating their child, Axios health editor Adriel Bettelheim reports

Between the lines: While children in this age group are less likely to get seriously ill from COVID, many public health experts say the shots can provide important protection for the kids and the community at large.

What to watch: The Kaiser survey suggests uptake might remain low. More than four in 10 parents of young kids said they do not plan to vaccinate their children against COVID-19.

• Another quarter of respondents said they want to “wait and see."

Go deeper on parents' vaccine sentiments.