Racine Sun

Racine Mayor Cory Mason is actively working to sell incentives being offered by the state for residents to get vaccinated.  

“Get fully vaccinated and get $100 in gift cards,” Mason recently posted on Facebook. “These are available to City of Racine residents while supplies last.”

Mason is hoping his job of enticing more residents will become easier now that young children are now eligible to receive the shot.

“We have pop-up clinics happening all over the city,” he added. “If you’re already vaccinated, do you have a family member, friend or co-worker that wants to be vaccinated? You can earn a $50 gift card simply by bringing them with you to a pop-up clinic.”

Federal health officials recently authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the 5-11 age group, opening the door for somewhere in the neighborhood of 28 million children in this age group to now be shot-eligible.

The pediatric vaccines are already being shipped across the country with dosages set to be administered based on a child’s age on the day of the vaccination. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the COVID-19 vaccine can be given at the same times as other routine vaccines. The agency is also recommending that children previously infected with the virus get vaccinated.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, since the start of the pandemic, roughly 1.9 million children ages 5-11 years have been infected. Of that number, more than 8,300 have been hospitalized and 94 have died, putting the virus on the top 10 causes of death list for individuals in that for age group over the last year.

The impact on children doesn’t end there, with the education of many having been affected and many having suffered the loss of parents. Last month, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in the children’s mental health stemming from the toll taken by the crisis.  

Overall in Racine, 59% of all residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.