Butler Health System's nurse Mabel Gray (right) and vaccination coordinator Karen Gagen show preperations for Tuesday's children's COVID vaccine clinic Tuesday at Butler Memorial Hospital. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 11/09/21

Special vaccine clinics for children ages 5 to 11 filled quickly at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Butler Health System opened registration Nov. 3 for a few special vaccine clinics for the age group this week, but had to add more appointment slots and dates when they began quickly filling up.

Butler Memorial Hospital had its first children's clinic Tuesday, where 60 doses were distributed. Chief nursing officer Karen Allen said the response was a pleasant surprise.

“We put 60 out for the week, and then we added (clinics on Friday and Saturday) because they were taken almost immediately,” Allen said. “We're thrilled that so many signed up, we just didn't expect it.”

According to Allen, the hospital has several more clinics scheduled and booked up this week and next week. Already, about 500 children are signed up to get vaccinated.

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Children’s Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Butler Memorial Hospital children's COVID vaccination room. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 11/09/21

Butler Health System's Mabel Gray demonstrates preperations for a children's COVID vaccine Tuesday at Butler Memorial Hospital. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 11/09/21