(WXYZ) — The phone lines at Southfield Pediatric Physicians in Novi are ringing off the hook.
Rebecca Bowering is the practice manager at the office.
“We have people who call and say the President was on TV giving information that the vaccine is available to millions of children and they feel like you are not giving it to them,” she adds.
President Joe Biden says the vaccine for younger children is here but not widely available yet.
“As soon as next week, we will have enough vaccines and places and parents will be able to schedule appointments to get their kids their first shot,” said President Biden.
Some places in metro Detroit are already administering shots like IHA Plymouth Pediatrics.
Bowering says it’s also important for parents to understand that there is a limited supply. She requested hundreds of Pfizer vaccines from the state health department and only got a fraction.
“Today we received 30 doses. We have patients that think we are withholding it from them. We just don’t have it to give,” said Bowering.
In the state’s recent COVID-19 response update, they say “Michigan has maxed out our initial order for 417,000 pediatric doses.”
There are about 840,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 in the state.
“We’ve seen that the children are one of the fastest rising groups of those infected,” said Dr. Matthew Sims, the medical director for Infectious Disease Research at Beaumont Hospital.
New COVID-19 data shows that over 235,000 children under the age of 20 have experienced COVID-19 in the state of Michigan.
“Children make up 1/4 of the cases in this country,” said President Biden.
Starting next week the Oakland County Health Department is teaming up with schools to host vaccine clinics.
In a statement from the medical director Dr. Russell Faust he says, “We're excited having the vaccine available for children. It’s a huge step in ending this pandemic and the best way to keep our kids healthy and in school.”
It’s also a way to administer more shots and take some of the burden off doctors' offices.
“If they can take advantage of those that would be great. All the pediatric offices in this area are working very hard to accommodate everybody,” adds Bowering.
Below is the full list of the upcoming schools' vaccine clinics in Oakland County.
School Vaccine Schedule v1 by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
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