Covid-19 vaccines for 12-15 year olds available starting today.

The U.S. reached another milestone in the fight against Covid-19 today. Children between the ages of 12-15 are officially eligible to be vaccinated after the Food and Drug Administration approved and other agencies recommended the use of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group.

Sites all around Monterey County began vaccinating teens, including at Natividad Hospital, pharmacies and through other providers. Parents or guardians must accompany minors, and proof of date of birth is required.

Vaccinations will be available from 10am-2pm (or as supplies last) this Saturday, May 15, at the Seaside Community Wellness Day at Seaside High School, 2200 Noche Buena St., Seaside. 

Montage Health announced clinics for next week that will take place at the Montage Wellness Center in Marina and at the Del Monte Shopping Center in Monterey. There will also be a clinic at the Boys & Girls Club in Seaside on Saturday, May 22. The clinics at the shopping center will come with music and special performances, according to a press release. 

To make appointments for any of the Montage clinics see the website's vaccine page. For more providers offering appointments and clinics, see the Weekly's vaccine guide.

Nationally Covid-19 has infected more than 33 million people, including more than 1.5 million children ages 11-17, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which announced approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12-15 year olds on May 10. 

Here in Monterey County nearly 5,800 children between the ages of 0-17 out of a total 43,632 cases have been sickened by the virus, according to the Health Department. Of those, 27 children in that age range have been hospitalized. It's not known if any children have died here, since the county is at this time grouping deaths in the age range of 0-34, of which 10 people have died. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, California has had the most cases of child Covid-19 cases in the country, but not the highest percentage compared to its population. There's been more than 473,000 children sickened in the state, or 13 percent of total cases. Of those, 21 children have died in California, or .03 percent of all Covid-19 deaths.

Beyond what can happen to the children themselves if they get infected, officials say vaccinating children is key to achieving herd immunity, since they can spread the disease, including to people at high risk for serious complications.