Latest vaccination numbers for ages 12 to 17
About 68% of Americans ages 12 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When broken down by age, the recent CDC data shows that for ages 12 to 15, only about 29% of kids are fully vaccinated, which is the lowest number for any age group. Even looking at the age group 16 to 17 years, about 41% are fully vaccinated.
With students going back to school and COVID cases rising, will younger age groups decide to get their vaccines?
Back in July, the Biden Administrative fell short of its goal to have 70% of adults have at least one dose of the shot. With not meeting the goal officials said it had to do with the younger population.
Now that a month has gone by the latest CDC data shows that 58% of the population received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.
However, since all kids aren't vaccinated, Local Health official Jose Araballo is a spokesman for Riverside County Department of Public Health says, "For those that are over 12 and plus those that are younger than 12, by wearing a mask, going to school, going to public events, we want to make sure that everyone can and is able to wear a mask when they are out in public and to wash their hands and practice social distancing. All the usual things that we recommend for adults those apply to children as well."
Araballo also explains the younger population under 18 can't all get the vaccine because the children need to get their parent's approval.
"For these people 12 to 17 they still need their parents approval before they can do it. So our message to parents of children that age is to speak to the pediatrician and get informed advice that's backed up by science, rather than somebody would would read on social media," says Araballo.
Even though numbers for the COVID vaccine for the younger population, Araballo says the number of vaccinated kids is increasing.
Check out the vaccination stats by zip code here in the valley.
