DALLAS — Dallas County Health and Human Services offered their first Pfizer COVID-19 shots to kids ages 5 to 11 who made appointments at their clinics Thursday.
“So far, it doesn’t hurt,” 10-year-old Jesus said, shortly after getting his vaccine. His mom, Melina Solis, brought him to the drive-thru clinic at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus in Mesquite.
“We know this is a protection for me as a mother and for him,” Solis said. “We were so excited today.”
“I feel excited and happy that I got my vaccine so I can finally hang out with my friends without putting their life at risk,” the 10-year-old told WFAA.
The county is giving Walmart gift cards or Six Flags vouchers to 5- to 11-year-olds who get their shots at the Eastfield location.
Amalia Ochoa got her 5- and 7-year-old kids vaccinated at the Eastfield drive-thru Thursday.
“Big relief, knowing that they have that protection inside them right now,” Ochoa said. “If we protect our kids right now, we will prevent something bad happening to them in the future.”
Over one million doses are coming to Texas in several waves, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
“Texas is a large state that has a lot of children in it,” Imelda Garcia, MPH with DSHS, said. “And so they are a key piece of us helping prevent additional cases.
There are about 2.9 million children, ages 5 to 11, in Texas.
DSHS said over half a million vaccine doses have already arrived to providers across the state.