WESTOVER — Shortly after the CDC on Wednesday announced approval of a COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11 state and local health agencies mobilized to schedule clinics to give children their first jab.

Somerset County and all of the other public school districts in the state agreed to provide vaccination clinics and Gov. Larry Hogan said in his announcement that he knows “many parents are relieved...and have already decided to move ahead as soon as possible to protect their kids, to keep them in school, and to avoid unnecessary outbreaks and disruptive quarantines.”

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the one being made available, and it is offered to some 515,000 children statewide. The Somerset County Health Department’s clinic are Monday, Nov. 8 at Woodson Elementary School, Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Deal Island Elementary, and Wednesday, Nov. 10 at Greenwood Elementary all from 3 to 6 p.m.

There will also be a clinic held Saturday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Health Department on Sign Post Road.

Any child, whether enrolled in public or private school, is eligible but a parent or guardian must be present. Second dose appointments will be scheduled at the time of the first visit.

To register for a clinic, visit marylandvax.org or call 443-523-1920 during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)