SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Some parents of the 321,000 children between five and 11 years old in San Diego county getting the news they'd been waiting for.
"I guess I am just realized that it's finally happening,” Maureen Martin, a mother of 11-year-old daughter, said.
"I felt the biggest weight lifted off of my shoulders,” Amanda Reuther, a mother of 9-year-old daughter
The Centers For Disease Control & Prevention is recommending that age group to get the Pfizer COVID vaccine; one of them being Reuther's daughter.
"She has a rare genetic disorder that puts her in the high-risk category for COVID. So for us we've really been living a sheltered life,” Reuther said.
“It feels very relieving to finally feel that we have a break."
Parents like Reuther won't have to wait long.
Rady's children hospital says that this group can roll up their sleeves starting Wednesday for the first dose.
But it'll be by appointment only.
"It's not just show up and you'll get a vaccine,” Dr. John Bradley, Rady Children's Hospital, said.
Bradley said the vaccine rollout for this group will be different than the adult groups.
It's not gearing toward mass vaccination sites.
"This time, they're trying to base it in primary care offices. So, pediatrician, family care doctors,” Bradley said.
"On a phone call Monday night, many of the pediatric groups have vaccine. They'll probably be starting by the end of this week or early next week once they have all of the kinks worked out."
Bradley told ABC 10News while Rady Children’s Hospital isn't going to deny children in this group who are signed up to get their first dose that are their patients, it's still encouraged that parents reach to and coordinate with their child's primary care provider first.
As the rollout for yet another group to get vaccinated happens, those like Reuther can't wait for their child's moment and what it will mean moving forward in the pandemic.
"Honestly, I will probably cry,” Reuther said.
"I think that San Diego County has been doing a really good job in their vaccination effort. I'm hoping that this just continues that, and we can get back to pre-COVID normals."
