ND set to administer COVID-19 vaccine to youngest children

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota is receiving its initial order of 5,700 coronavirus vaccine doses for young children now that federal officials have endorsed the shots for youngsters ages 6 months to 5 years. An estimated 50,000 North Dakota children are eligible to receive the vaccine after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended the shots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. North Dakota Immunization Program Director Molly Howell says health care providers are in the process of educating staff and updating protocols, so most providers will begin vaccinating children later this week (June 20-24, 2022) or early next week. Howell says they hope to vaccinate about 10% of the newly-eligible children in the first week.