Only a third of the Philadelphia region’s pharmacies carry COVID-19 vaccines for children under five years old. Out of those, just one is in Delaware County, writes Jason Laughlin for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

You can find the vaccine at Rios Pharmacy, 35 Morton Avenue in Morton.

Since federal regulations prevent children younger than three from being vaccinated at pharmacies, that leaves only three-and four-year-olds eligible to get their shots from a pharmacist.

This represents too small a population for many businesses to stock the smaller doses that are recommended for the youngest children.

As a result, the number of places where parents can get their young kids vaccinated is drastically reduced compared to the places with available vaccines for the older age groups.

Some, however, have decided to stay involved with the latest demographic to become COVID-19 vaccine eligible.

Pediatricians support the restrictions on vaccinating infants and toddlers at a pharmacy. A caring, patient approach is required for very young children and their parents.

“Children, our babies, need a totally different touch than adults”, said Ala Stanford, a pediatric surgeon, founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium and now the head of the region’s Health and Human Services office.

Read more about the pharmacies in The Philadelphia Inquirer.