Kids 5 to 11 years old are eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot after recent approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This age group has the lowest vaccination rate in Montana, according to a May 6 report from the state’s Department of Public Health and Human Services.
Under the new approvals, children 5 to 11 years old can get their third shot five months after their second dose. However, only 19% of children in that age group had received their first two shots as of May 6, according to the state health department report. That’s less than half of the average among the state’s eligible age groups, which is 55%.
Boosters for young kids are available at pharmacies and other locations that have offered the shots in Montana, but access still remains an issue in some remote areas of the state. Some communities in the state can be anywhere from 30 to 80 miles from the nearest location offering the pediatric shot. People looking to get vaccinated can find the nearest location on vaccines.gov.
