By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press

Troy Warren for CNT #COVID-19

WASHINGTON — About 900,000 kids ages 5-11 will have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in their first week of eligibility, the White House said Wednesday, providing the first glimpse at the pace of the school-aged vaccination campaign.

Final clearance for the shots was granted by federal regulators Nov. 2, with the first doses to kids beginning in some locations the following day. Now nearly 20,000 pharmacies, clinics and physicians’ offices are administering the doses, and the Biden administration estimates that by the end of Wednesday more than 900,000 of the kid doses will have been administered. Additionally about 700,000 first-shot appointments are scheduled for the coming days.

About 28 million 5- to 11 year-olds are now eligible for the Pfizer vaccine at a dose that’s one-third of the amount given to teens and adults.

Kids who begin the two-dose regimen by the end of next week will have full protection by Christmas.

The administration is encouraging schools to host vaccine clinics on site to make it even easier for kids to get shots. The White House is also asking schools to share information from “trusted messengers” including doctors and public health officials to combat misinformation around the vaccines.