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Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the percentage of people under the age of 20 who have been vaccinated in Tennessee. This story has been updated to reflect the correct data.
As the new school year begins, health workers are in a race against time to increase vaccination numbers among eligible teenagers.
While vaccination rates have increased in some areas for the general population, the rate of COVID-19 vaccinations among young people has fallen far behind.
Health departments across the South, which are already facing acute concerns around vaccine hesitancy, have implemented a variety of innovative strategies to quell the concerns of parents and incentivize vaccine-eligible teenagers. The COVID-19 vaccine is currently only available to people ages 12 and older.