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Marin County Steps Up Effort to Vaccinate Youth

LARKSPUR (KPIX 5)-- The weekend brought a big surge in youth vaccinations in Marin County after after health officials gave the green light to vaccinate 12- to 15-year-olds.

Zachary Marshall just turned 12 on Saturday, making him eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.

"I felt it a bit but it didn't really hurt," Zachary said after receiving the shot.

His mother Sarah Marshall brought her three boys, ages 12, 13 and 15, to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal to be vaccinated.

"I definitely feel a sense of relief," Sarah Marshall said.

"I was nervous but once I got it, I was OK," said 13-year-old Nicholas Marshall.

The kids admitted they were a little scared at first but, now that they've got their first shot, they plan to tell their friends to get it, too.

"I would probably encourage it just so you can protect yourself from other people. And, if you're worried about it, just don't look," advised Nathaniel Marshall, age 15.

Health officials said Marin County has about 14,000 kids between ages 12 and 15. They hoped to vaccinate at least half of this group by next Saturday. They'll also have pop-up sites at some schools and community centers this coming week.

"If we want to shift back to a closer sense of normalcy and allow children the activities that they previously enjoyed, that's going to require an extra layer of protection. And vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective," said Laine Hendricks, the Marin County public information officer.

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