How to Find Vaccines For Kids Aged 5-11 in the Hudson Valley

Vaccines for children over the age of five have officially been approved, but making an appointment for one in the Hudson Valley has proven to be a challenge.

On Wednesday, footage of smiling kids finally receiving the COVID-19 vaccine was played during newscasts and shared online. Parents were shown rejoicing in the fact that their young children were finally on their way to being protected from COVID.

While these scenes played out in large cities throughout the nation, here in the Hudson Valley parents were frustrated at the inability to even find a vaccine appointment for their young children.

Currently, there does not appear to be any supply of the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children anywhere in the Hudson Valley. A search of local clinics turned up nothing but dead ends. As of Thursday morning, the Dutchess County website is incorrectly reporting that people under the age of 12 are not eligible for any vaccine. Attempts to sign up for an appointment bring up the following error message:

A similar situation happens when attempting to book an appointment on the RiteAid website. Parents aren't even permitted to search for a vaccine location if their child is under 12.  The Walgreen's website, on the other hand, does recognize that younger children are now eligible but shows no vaccine doses available in the Hudson Valley area. CVS allows you to schedule appointments at one location that is already giving out the vaccine to kids, but that store is in Mahopac.

Local pediatrician offices were flooded with phone calls yesterday from parents hoping to schedule an appointment. Unfortunately, many were met with endless busy signals or pre-recorded messages. Those who did get through were unable to make any appointments, as supplies of vaccines have not reached the region.

The Children's Medical Group was taking names for a vaccine waiting list, and indicated that doses of the vaccine for children aged five to 11 would be arriving next week. That's also the message from the White House, which promised this week that there would be enough doses available to vaccinate every child in the country. President Biden said the massive operation to get shots in young arms was rolling out now, with vaccines reaching pharmacies and doctor's offices by next week.

For now, parents will have to wait just a little bit longer. But the good news is that the vaccine is coming to the Hudson Valley and there's expected to be enough of a supply to get everyone over the age of five their first vaccine dose before the holiday season kicks into gear.