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Taking a closer look at Connecticut's push to vaccinate kids

Griffin Health mobile vaccine vans administered more than 800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for kids last weekend.

HARTFORD, Conn — For more than a week now, kids ages 5-11 have been eligible to get one-third the dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

FOX61 took a closer look at Connecticut’s rollout, and if the state has been successful in its vaccination effort?

RELATED: Parents in CT weigh getting their kids ages 5-11 vaccinated

Whiting Lane Elementary School in West Hartford is hosting a Griffin Health mobile vaccine van Wednesday until 7 p.m. The purpose of the clinic is to get kids vaccinated, and officials aid no appointment is necessary.

Mobile vans are a big part of the state’s strategy and an example of the COVID-19 vaccine being brought into school environments.

By the end of the day Wednesday, nearly a million kids across the country will have rolled up their sleeves to get the vaccine, according to the White House.

“I felt nervous and excited also,” 8-year-old Jayliane Morales told FOX61 after getting her shot.

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5-year-old Will Duquette, of Farmington agreed, saying he was a little nervous.

Rachel Chiffer is a registered nurse who was part of the mass vaccination effort to get adults vaccinated when the COVID-19 vaccines were first rolled out. She jumped at the chance to be a part of the pediatric vaccination effort at Connecticut Pediatrics in Hartford.

“We are doing probably 20-40 a day here, which is great. We’d like to do more,” Chiffer said.

Connecticut Pediatrics is where the Medina family got their son Adrian vaccinated. Given his history of health problems, they called it a relief.

“I feel relieved, yeah. Seeing that he’s going to be protected now,” his dad, Wilfredo Medina told FOX61.

RELATED: Muppets encourage children to get the COVID vaccine

Meanwhile, UConn Health in Farmington was also vaccinating children on Wednesday. COVID-19 operations manager Sarah Tessier said they have had a really great turnout, seeing kids every single day.

Kids like 8-year-old Jaylianie Morales were among those rolling up their sleeves, and shared a message to other kids who might be feeling nervous.

"Nothing is going to happen to you and at least you are going to stay safe,” she said.

In addition to giving kids their COVID-vaccines by appointments, eligible adults are also getting their booster shots. The health system is also administering the flu vaccine.

According to Connecticut’s COVID-19 data tracker, there are no totals yet on the number of children ages 5-11 who got the pediatric vaccine.

For kids between 12 and 15-year-old, that state reports 64% of them are vaccinated. The number of those vaccines administered spiked at the end of October when the pediatric vaccine began rolling out.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health did tell FOX61 that Griffin Health mobile vaccine vans administered more than 800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for kids last weekend.

FOX61 also asked Gov. Ned Lamont’s office if he has any plans to incentivize pediatric vaccination after New York and Ohio offered kids the chance at a free college education if they get the shot.

Here's a response from the governor's communications director, Max Reiss:

“I don’t believe that’s been discussed at this stage,but we won’t rule out incentives as we had a myriad of incentives to boost vaccination across the state earlier this year.”

RELATED: Connecticut ready to begin vaccinating children 5-11 following CDC emergency clearance

Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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