TIJUANA (Border Report) — As of this week, children as young as 5 years old will be allowed to get a COVID-19 vaccination in this city and throughout Baja California.
It’s one of the few regions in Mexico where all children ages 5-11 now have access to the vaccine.
So far, only kids considered to be in a high-risk group due to underlying conditions or illnesses were granted a vaccination.
México’s President Andres Manuel López Obrador had said he preferred that adults get vaccinated first before the children.
Back in April, Mexican health officials announced kids would finally be given the immunizations, although no dates had been announced.
People are being encouraged to set up appointments online to receive priority as those without an appointment will be allowed to have their children vaccinated on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to Baja California officials, the state has 54,000 Pfizer-brand doses for children readily available.
So far, almost 41,000 kids have been registered for the vaccines.
Mexico’s census numbers indicate there are 340,000 children in Baja California who are eligible to receive the vaccines.
Baja health officials say they believe an estimated 25 percent of these children have already gotten the shots north of the border in the United States.
