ATLANTA — With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approving Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use in kids aged 5-11, parents in Georgia are now wondering when and where they can get their children vaccinated.
If you're looking for your most immediate option to get a shot into your child's arm, it looks like the only availability as soon as this weekend (Nov. 6 & 7) will be at Walgreens and CVS pharmacies or hospitals.
Here are the basics of what we know:
Public health departments
Georgia's local public health departments have not yet been given guidance from the state Department of Public Health, which itself says it is awaiting guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DPH says it expects that in the "coming days."
In advance of the vaccine being available at public health departments, you can find a directory for your local public health department (including a map outlining the boundary lines of the districts) here.
Additionally, the state runs a vaccine scheduling resource line at 888-457-0186. That line is available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and on weekends 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The line is accessible in languages other than English, as well.
Private pharmacy chains
Walgreens says it will begin administering vaccines to kids aged 5 and up on Saturday (Nov. 6). You can find a Walgreens location near you using the company's store locator tool here.
You can make a vaccine appointment on the Walgreens website here.
CVS, meanwhile, says it will begin child vaccinations on Sunday (Nov. 7). The CVS store locator tool can be accessed here, and you can schedule a vaccine appointment at a CVS store here.
Hospitals
This is going to vary on a case-by-case basis.
We know, thanks to communications from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, that they began administering vaccines to children on Wednesday (Nov. 3). Right now the hospital says it is "offering vaccine access to existing clinic patients."
For more information on Children's Atlanta vaccine sites, see here.
Most hospitals will only administer the vaccine to existing patients, so if this is the route you want to try contact your personal healthcare provider.
Grocery stores
The vaccine will be available for children at Kroger and Publix.
Kroger is asking parents to use their online scheduling tool to book vaccine appointments for their children. The grocery store chain said parents will be instructed to enter the date of birth of the child they are scheduling to help ensure they will be getting a pediatric dose.
Most Atlanta Division Kroger pharmacies and The Little Clinic locations can provide the shots. The locations will be receiving vaccine deliveries each week, according to the company.
Publix said families can sign up for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine appointments online, however, same-day appointments will not be available. Check its vaccine portal to see if shots will be available in your area.