Child vaccinations begin in California with toys and gifts

By JOCELYN GECKER and TERENCE CHEA
Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Scavenger hunts and blow-up animals greeted children at some of California’s vaccination sites Wednesday, as children aged 5 to 11 got their first COVID-19 shots a day after the federal government approved kid-size doses. The state has an ambitious plan to offer coronavirus vaccinations to California’s 3.5 million children in that age group. California plans to offer the vaccines in locations including school clinics, pharmacies, pediatrician offices and county-run vaccination sites. Some of the state’s largest counties started doling out the shots bright and early Wednesday, including Los Angeles and Santa Clara. Many other counties plan to launch mass vaccine clinics this weekend.