Walz welcomes children to community vax site, donor-recipient family thankful for added protection

Kids can finally get their COVID-19 vaccines — if their parents choose.

Up until last week, there was little protection for children 11-years-old and younger.

Now that the child-sized doses of the Pfizer shots are available, the state of Minnesota wanted to not only promote getting vaccinated but give kids a friendly, visual and fun experience when they did get their vaccine.

About 150 kids lined up at a community vaccination clinic Saturday to get their chance at protection against the coronavirus.

"It is a huge relief," Collete Nwangwu, a mother and ICU nurse, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS after both her son and daughter got their vaccines. "We’ve seen the worst of the worst."

Nwangwu called the virus "unpredictable" after watching many die from COVID-19, so today was a welcomed day when she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"I’m very excited to see this day where little kids can get vaccinated," Nwangwu said.

Gov. Tim Walz welcomed families as they came to get their children vaccinated for the first time and encouraged others who haven’t to sign up.

"This is preventable and we have children in the hospital; we have had children die from this and that just can’t happen. These vaccines are safe," Walz said.

According to Minnesota data, at least 300 kids have been hospitalized in the state, sick with coronavirus.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS watched as one mother was so overwhelmed with gratitude as she thanked the governor for getting the shots out so quickly.

Afterward, the mother, Amanda Weber, turned to speak with KSTP. But this was not for the first time.

Back in 2015, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke with her and her then 12-year-old son, Preston Tinter, who desperately needed a kidney transplant.

‘We always take precautions every year," Weber said.

Precautions were ten-fold after COVID-19 hit because Tinter did get his kidney donor. When the pandemic began it had his mother worried all over again.

"When you do not have an immune system to even try to fight it off it becomes very, very scary, very quickly," Weber said.

Now an adult, Tinter has remained healthy despite the ongoing pandemic. His family thanked others for doing their part to help but now felt extra gracious for another level of protection against a disease that has already taken too many.

"This is just a little bit of a side of relief, like, ugh," Weber said.

According to a Gallup poll, just 55 % of parents plan to get their children, ages 5-11, vaccinated.

Here’s a list of Minnesota locations offering childhood vaccines for kids 5-11 years old.