COVID-19 Vaccinations Begin For WI Children Under 5

WISCONSIN — Young children are able to get their COVID-19 vaccine starting Tuesday in Wisconsin, state officials announced. The state approved Tuesday the federal vaccine recommendation for children between ages 6 months and 5 years old.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the final authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for young children over the weekend.

Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said in a statement. The Food and Drug Administration and the CDC authorized and recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children 6 months to 4 years old, and the Moderna vaccine for children 6 months through 5 years of age.

Nearly 300,000 more Wisconsin children are eligible to get the shot, Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said in a statement.

Getting vaccinated is the No. 1 way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, health experts agree. "We urge parents and guardians to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible to protect them and their families, friends, and loved ones from the virus," Timberlake said.

CVS will administer the Pfizer vaccination for children 18 months to four years of age at MinuteClinic locations, of which there is one in Milwaukee and another in Waukesha, starting Tuesday, the retailer said in a statement. Appointments will be available at MinuteClinic.com based on supply.

People can find vaccination appointments through Vaccines.gov, or else reach out to their employers, local health departments, pharmacies and health care providers, the department said.