Marin Readies To Vaccinate 5-To 11-Year-Olds

MARIN COUNTY, CA — The FDA hasn’t yet approved the Pfizer vaccine for young children, but one of the nation’s most vaccinated counties is already readying for the light to turn green.

Marin County Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis on Tuesday unveiled plans to administer jabs to 5-to 11-year-olds once the federal agency grants emergency use authorization for that age group.

Willis described the plans to administer coronavirus vaccines to children during a presentation before the county’s Board of Supervisors.

The county has already scheduled nine vaccination “pods,” eight at Marin schools and one at the county’s Office of Education, Willis said.

The county aims to vaccinate 75 percent of children in that age group within 30 days should the FDA approve the vaccine for kids.

Willis described the goal as a “modest” one, noting that the county vaccinated 50 percent of Marin residents aged 12 to 17 within a week of the FDA granting emergency use authorization for that age group.

“That’s because we know that in this younger age group, many will seek visits with their pediatricians,” Willis said. “They’ll want to have conversations with their health care provider and get vaccinated there.”

Marin from a vaccination standpoint has already established itself as the envy of the nation.

As of Thursday, 91.3 percent of eligible Marin residents 12 years of age and older have completed their vaccine series and 97.7 percent of county residents have received at least one jab, according to the county's vaccination dashboard.

Marin tops the state with 76.7 percent of all residents (including those under 12) fully vaccinated, and the North Bay county ranks ninth in the nation among all counties (regardless of population), The New York Times reports.

Marin was the nation's most vaccinated county among those with a population over 250,000 according to data compiled earlier this year by The San Francisco Chronicle.

The push to bring vaccines to young children figures to bring Marin closer to community herd immunity.

The county hopes to vaccinate 15,000 of its 20,000 5-to 11-year-old residents by Nov. 30.

“We think that with this strategy, when we map out the numbers, we’ll achieve that goal,” Willis said.

The first vaccines would be followed by a second jab three weeks later, Willis said. A third dose would eventually be administered, too.

Children would likely receive the vaccine in 10 microgram increments, a third of the dosage those 12 years of age up and get, Willis said.

A review of vaccine trial data for 5-to 11-year-olds is on the FDA’s agenda for its next scheduled meeting on Oct. 20, Willis said.

“It’s likely based on the cadence we’ve seen thus far that the (emergency use authorization) would follow that,” Willis said.

Marin's first vaccine pod for young children is scheduled to be held Oct. 30-31 at Novato High School, with vaccine events also scheduled for San Rafael’s Miller Creek Middle School Nov. 6-7; Strawberry Point Elementary School (Mill Valley) Nov. 13-14; Bahia Vista Elementary School (San Rafael) Oct. 29; Bayside Martin Luther King Academy (Sausalito) Nov. 1 (tentative); West Marin Elementary School (Point Reyes Station) Nov. 2; Marin County Office of Education (San Rafael) Nov. 3; Hamilton Meadow Park School (Novato) Nov. 4 and Venetia Valley School (San Rafael) Nov. 5.

Vaccines for 5-to 11-year-olds would also be available at pharmacies and from health care providers.

To find a vaccination location near you visit here.