Pre-registration for the vaccine has been robust, and Summit County Health Department Director Dr. Phil Bondurant said he expects that somewhere between 2500 and 3000 kids will get vaccinated within the first week of offering the shots.
More than 1,000 children are already signed up to get vaccinated in Summit County as soon as the vaccine arrives.
The roll-out will be county-wide and multi-pronged, Bondurant said.
"The health department is not concerned with who delivers those 2500 shots," he said. "We expect it we primarily will be administering most of them but we have partners in the community through the pharmacies pediatricians the Noemi vans mobile vans that we have they will also be delivering vaccines."
He said the health department’s goal is to have every eligible child vaccinated by November 13.
He said he expects that kids who get their first doses right away will get their second doses before the end-of-year holiday season, which should make for a healthier winter community-wide.
"I hope the community understand and feels the excitement," he said. "The resolve that we feel with these vaccines coming online for five to 11-year-olds and the fact that our health department staff have committed to working Saturdays to get this done is just another testament to how dedicated they are to this, this effort."
In Wasatch County, families have not been able to pre-register, but the vaccine will be available there too beginning next week. The Wasatch County Health Department is taking appointments now. Parents can schedule by calling 435-657-3307 or make an appointment online at coronavirus.wasatch.utah.gov.
Those still needing appointments in Summit County can contact their doctors’ office or go to summitcountyhealth.org/vaccine.
In Summit County, 85 % of the eligible population is vaccinated. In Wasatch County, 57 % of those who are eligible have been vaccinated so far.