Doctors at Marian Regional Medical Center hope parents will get their kids vaccinated against COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Dr Chuck Merrill at Marian Regional Medical Center says kids across the country have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

" … there’s a huge population between five and 11 and those kids have previously gotten COVID ... many of them have been asymptomatic but they still got it," said Merrill.

Now that the CDC has approved the vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11, Merrill believes this will help stop the overall spread of the virus.

" … so we can get those kids immunized ... they’ll stop spreading it not only to each other but they’ll stop spreading it to adults that don’t need it," said Merrill.

Former school teacher Francine Steele has worked with kids in Santa Barbara County for more than thirty years.

She’s thrilled about the vaccine approval.

" … I was thrilled particularly for my colleagues to my fellow colleagues they need to be protected as well As the children and I think everybody needs to be protected from COVID-19," said Steele.

Merrill says he hopes parents will get their kids vaccinated as many have been hospitalized across the country.

" ... there have been a lot of kids who have had COVID and it’s not innocuous either … there’s been 8,000 hospital admissions in the United States with COVID … there have been 172 deaths … so it is not a benign disease for kids … and I want to see all the kids happy healthy and going to school.

Merrill says the side effects from the vaccine are minimal.