Covid-19 vaccine is here for young children, but parents may have to wait for the right moment.

For those parents who had been waiting for over a year to get their youngest children vaccinated against Covid-19, the Centers for Disease Control’s announcement on June 18 of approval of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for ages 6 months to 4 years was a day to celebrate. The celebration was quickly followed by confusion, as there was little immediate information about exactly how and when young ones could be vaccinated.

In theory, any approved health provider in California could have begun vaccinations on June 20. But supplies of the vaccines for young children – which are a third of the dose for children ages 5-11 and a tenth of the dose for teens and adults – didn’t begin arriving until the next day at the earliest, if a provider had ordered vaccines in anticipation of the announcement.

Adding to the confusion is that pharmacists by California law can only give vaccinations to ages 3 and up. That means pharmacies that have been a good source of vaccine appointments since last year are not a resource for families with babies and toddlers. Instead, parents will need to turn to pediatricians, general practitioners and health clinics for appointments. The Monterey County Health Department is also sponsoring pop-up clinics, including one from 4-7pm on Tuesday, July 5, at Santa Rita Elementary School, located at 2014 Santa Rita St., Salinas.

The Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System received a shipment of 600 doses on June 27, and was scheduled to give the first vaccination on June 29, after the Weekly’s deadline.

Allen Radner, SVMHS chief medical officer and CEO of Salinas Valley Medical Clinic, says by email that his hospital is seeing more children with Covid now than at any other time throughout the pandemic. One seriously ill child had to be transferred to a children’s hospital.

“The data indicates the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh any potential risks,” he said. He encouraged parents to speak to doctors if they have questions or concerns.