IN THE NEWS: EMBARC continues to hold vaccination clinics as COVID-19 cases remain high

Child hospitalizations for COVID-19 remain high, leading one metro organization to host their first vaccination clinic that includes kids, while another plans to distribute information differently than before, We Are Iowa Channel 5 reported this week.

This month, a record number of children were hospitalized across the country due to the virus.

According to the CDC, 914 kids were hospitalized from Jan. 10-16, a peak seven-day average.

Polk County health officials also noticed youth COVID cases on the rise.

43 children were admitted between Jan. 1-20 for COVID-19 at Blank Children's Hospital. …

Allison Pleasant, EMBARC's vaccine access program manager, said they have held three vaccination clinics since November and worked to get as many kids vaccinated as possible.

From those three clinics, they have vaccinated 103 children.

EMBARC plans to continue to be involved with helping to get adults and children the shots, but with hospitalization rates remaining high for children, they are planning to shift how they share information for parents.

"We are working with our Burma Family Focus and [communications] team to establish quick video messaging for kids' vaccines as news updates come about," Pleasant said. "Our plan is to get these videos uploaded onto our social media sites."

The FAS vaccination clinic will be Sunday, Feb. 5 at Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines (814 School St).