Kids 5-11 start receiving COVID vaccine, will be available at CVS locations this weekend

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Getting a shot is not exactly something kids look forward to.

But 11-year-old Maia Lazcano and her 7-year-old sister Luna are more than happy to make an exception for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Now I'm kinda of happy," Maia said. "I can do things I want to do like visit my friends and not get quarantined in school."

Maia and Luna were among the first in the 5-11 age group who were vaccinated at Esperanza Health Clinic on the city's South West side. With older vaccinated siblings at home, their parents couldn't wait for this day to come.

"We stopped doing a lot of things, we don't receive any people at our house because they are not vaccinated," said their mother, Estela Diaz.

Besides health clinics like Esperanza, vaccinations for younger kids will be provided at pediatrician offices, hospitals, schools and pharmacies with plans rolling out within the next few days.

CVS will begin vaccinating the 5-11 age group on Sunday at 30 different select Chicago and suburban locations.

"We are encouraging parents of these children to use the CVS app or CVS.com to schedule appointment because it will pull up location closes to you that offered the vaccine," said Sarah Edington, a CVS health region director.

Whatever location parents choose to get their children the shot, they must return three weeks later for a second dose.

"The important thing for families to know is the dose is smaller it's one-third of a dose of an adult or adolescent would get, the needle we use is smaller, the syringe is smaller," said Dr. Mark Minier, Esperanza's director of pediatrics

Maia promised getting the vaccine doesn't hurt.

"It feel like a normal shot," Maia said. "I didn't feel anything."

Maia's mom said she hopes getting her daughters vaccinated will encourage other families to do the same.

"It's better to fear a shot in the arm, pain for 2 days than pain in your heart that tour kids get the virus," Diaz said.