US opens COVID-19 vaccine to infants, preschoolers

U.S. health officials have offered COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers — the last group without the shots.

The shots will become available next week, expanding the nation's vaccination campaign to children as young as six months.

The Biden administration has already been gearing up for the vaccine expansion. Millions of doses have been ordered for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country.

Roughly 18 million children will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children aged 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November.