Coronavirus Watch: Kid vaccine appointments open at CVS, Walgreens

Walgreens and CVS are now accepting COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children 5 to 11 following the CDC's sign-off of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the age group. 

Appointments will begin Saturday at Walgreens and Sunday at CVS. Rite Aid said it will begin accepting appointments Thursday for slots starting Saturday.

The vaccine will also be available at pediatricians and primary care doctors, children's hospitals and clinics at schools. 

So, how do kids feel about all this?

Cate Zeigler-Amon, 10, said she was "very, very, very excited and very happy" after getting her first dose at a drive-through vaccination site in Atlanta. Cate said she was ready to return indoors to eat at restaurants and have birthday parties "instead of having a freezing cold outside birthday party."

Eight-year-old Carter Giglio, who is at a higher-risk for complications because of Type 1 diabetes, got his shot in Washington, D.C.

“I’m ready to trash it,” he said of his face mask. 

It's Wednesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the USA TODAY Network. Here's what is happening:

• Hawaii will lift restaurant, bar and gym capacity limits in counties that require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter such businesses, Gov. David Ige said Tuesday.
• Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was "disgusted" after New York City firefighters drove a fire engine to New York state Sen. Zellnor Myrie's office to protest the city's vaccine mandate. Six firefighters were suspended for 28 days.
• TheArizona Supreme Court ruled schools can keep mask mandates after finding the Legislature's practice of stuffing policy matters into appropriations bills unconstitutional.

Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 46.1 million COVID-19 cases and 748,900 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 247.7 million cases and more than 5 million deaths. More than 192.7 million Americans – 58.1% of the population – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Tracking the pandemic: See the numbers in your area here. See where cases are rising here. See vaccination rates here. And here, compare vaccinations rates worldwide and see which countries are using which vaccines.

– Ryan Miller, breaking news reporter, @RyanW_Miller