Page 4 - atd

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 8 July 2022
Slow pace for youngest kids getting COVID vaccine doses

By ZEKE MILLER and CARLA situation than it is with your
K. JOHNSON older children and adults,”
Associated Press Shipman said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Near- Some doctors opted not to
ly 300,000 children under 5 offer the shots because of
have received COVID-19 cold storage requirements
shots in the two weeks or concern about wasting
since they became avail- doses.
able, a slower pace than The vaccine comes in
for older groups. But the multi-dose vials that must
White House says that was be used within 12 hours af-
expected for the eligible ter opening.
U.S. population of about 18 “They don’t want to see
million kids. vaccine go unused,” said
The Centers for Disease West Virginia pediatrician
Control and Prevention Dr. Lisa Costello, who is
was to publish initial data working with her state’s
on shots for the age group COVID-19 response task
later Thursday, reflecting force. “You either need to
doses administered since find the number of people
regulators authorized them to vaccinate for that vial or
on June 18. The first vac- discard the doses that are
cinations didn’t begin un- Maria Assisi holds her daughter Mia, 4, as registered nurse Margie Rodriguez administers the first left over.”
til several days later be- dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months through 5 years old, June 21, 2022, Organizing vaccine times
cause the doses had to be at Montefiore Medical Group in the Bronx borough of New York. Associated Press after hours or clustering
shipped to doctors’ offices vaccine appointments are
and pharmacies. older populations. survey conducted in April parents of babies and tod- possible solutions doctors
U.S. officials had long pre- “We’re going see vaccina- found that 1 in 5 parents of dlers, because of state re- are trying, Costello said.
dicted that the pace of tions ramp up over weeks children under age 5 said strictions on pharmacies And West Virginia has en-
vaccinating the youngest and even potentially over they would get their child and because some doctors couraged doctors to go
kids would be slower than a couple of months,” Jha vaccinated right away are not offering the shots. ahead and open the vials
for older groups. They ex- said. once it was authorized, Many states bar pharma- even if they have only one
pect most shots to take Officials also note there is 38% said they would wait cies from vaccinating chil- patient to vaccinate, she
place at pediatricians’ of- some hesitance about the and see, and nearly 4 in 10 dren under 3 years old or said.
fices. need for shots for kids who said they wouldn’t get their require prescriptions for For older children, those
Many parents may be are far less likely than older children vaccinated at all them to do so. In other 5 to 11 years old, vaccine
more comfortable getting age groups to develop se- or only if required. cases, pharmacies have coverage has varied wide-
the vaccine for their kids at rious illness or die from the More than 5 million pe- inadequate staff, space ly from state to state, from
their regular doctors, White coronavirus. Parents are diatric doses have been or training to give the shots a low of 11% of that age
House COVID-19 coordi- being encouraged to talk shipped to more than correctly to the youngest, group fully vaccinated in Al-
nator Dr. Ashish Jha told to the child’s doctor for 15,000 locations, the White said Allie Jo Shipman, di- abama to 63% in Vermont,
The Associated Press last trusted information about House said, ready for par- rector of state policy for the according to an analysis of
month. He predicted the the benefits of the vac- ents and kids to come in. National Alliance of State vaccination data through
pace of vaccination would cines. Still, the roll-out hasn’t been Pharmacy Associations. June 29 by the Kaiser Fam-
be far slower than it was for A Kaiser Family Foundation without hiccups for some “It’s just a more complex ily Foundation.q

Holder White is state high court’s 1st

Black woman justice

Lisa Holder White, formerly cent visit to the museum, she color, we need not limit our
a 4th District State Appellate viewed one of the original dreams or settle for less be-
Court justice, took the oath copies of the Emancipation cause when we prepare our-
to replace the retiring Justice Proclamation, which declared selves, doors will open.”
Rita Garman, who was the Black slaves free when Lin- Garman, 78, who first donned
state’s longest-serving active coln issued it in 1863. the jurist’s black robe 48 1/2
judge. “My heritage is a heritage years ago, had been expected
A 54-year-old Republican that once involved minds and to seek a third, 10-year term
from Decatur, Holder White bodies that were shackled, on the Supreme Court in the
Lisa Holder White, center left, is sworn in as a Justice of the has sat on the bench for 21 and doors that were so, so November election before
Supreme Court of Illinois by Justice, First District, Supreme Court
of Illinois Mary Jane Theis during White’s Installation Ceremony at years, beginning as an asso- long closed,” Holder White abruptly tendering her res-
the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Thursday ciate circuit judge in Macon said. “Taking my oath in this ignation in May. By delaying
July 7, 2022, in Springfield, Ill. County in 2001 with an oath place today... recognizes the her departure until after the
Associated Press administered by Garman. undeniable value and merit June 28 primary election,

By JOHN O’CONNOR was sworn in Thursday, cel- In remarks at the ceremony of what I as a Black woman... she spared Holder White
AP Political Writer ebrating the event as recogni- in the Union Theater of the have to contribute to the work from campaigning this fall.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The tion of the “undeniable value Abraham Lincoln Presidential of our state’s highest court.... The vacancy’s future will be
first Black woman to serve and merit” women and peo- Library and Museum, Holder It is a testimony to the notion put to the voters at the 2024
on the Illinois Supreme Court ple of color can offer. White said that during a re- that as women and people of election.q