CARBONDALE (WSIL)---Parents were waiting with their children outside the doors of the Banterra Center at SIU in Carbondale, ready for their child to get their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
By 9:30 Thursday morning, officials say about a dozen teenagers had come in to get their COVID vaccine.
And about twenty 12 to 15-year-olds received their vaccine Wednesday night after the initial greenlight from health officials.
The Jackson County Health Department estimates 75-percent of their vaccinations were first doses and that parents are excited for the new age group.
Many expressed relief.
"Most of the parents that came so far are very excited. They are just relieved. You can tell that there's just this sense of relief with them. And I'm sure there is some concern out there. We do want to make sure that everybody knows, this has been fully tested and approved and we're really excited to get as many people vaccinated age 12 and up as we can so that we can try to find our new normal and keep everybody safe," said Paula Clark, the Jackson County Health Department Division Director.