With Delaware's school mask mandate expiring on March 31st, state officials are redoubling efforts to get kids vaccinated.
Current data shows that for children ages 5-11, only 24.1% have two doses of the COVID vaccine. For children ages 12-17, 56.6% have two doses, however only 12.2% have received their booster shot.
But these numbers are not evenly distributed.
In both the 5-11 age group and the 12-17 age group, New Castle Country outperforms Kent and Sussex in vaccination rates. In Sussex County, there is a particularly high vaccination rate disparity for those ages 12-17.
Delaware’s Department of Health & Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik says the state will continue to work with these areas to deliver the vaccine, and help parents and caregivers feel comfortable in getting their kids vaccinated.
“These are areas where we have concern and we have more work to do because the children who are not vaccinated are at an increased risk of infections, hospitalizations, and potentially serious or long term outcomes from their COVID infection if they are to become infected,” Magarik said.
In the 12-17 age group, 31 zip codes have a vax rate sitting more than 10% below the state average, and 8 zip codes have vax rates less than 30% overall.
Magarik says they hope time will help diminish hesitancy among parents of older kids.
“This group, we’re having almost a year's worth of experience. The vaccines are safe,” said Magarik. “They’ve kept kids out of the hospital, they’ve kept kids from getting seriously ill. So again, we continue to urge parents and caregivers to get your kids started on the COVID vaccine as soon as possible.”
5-11 year olds have been vaccine eligible for a shorter time, but are also seeing disparities. In that group, 25 zip codes have a vax rate more than 10% below the state average, and the overall vax rate is below 10% in 8 zip codes.
For more information and to stay up to date on data, visit www.coronavirus.delaware.gov .
