The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may now be given to children aged 5 to 11 in the United States, according to US health officials, in a step welcomed by President Joe Biden as a "turning point" in the battle against the pandemic.
FDA Grants First COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Between 5 and 11
In a recently published article in The New York Times, the Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine for emergency use in children aged 5 to 11, a step that was keenly awaited by millions of families hoping to safeguard some of the last Americans who had not been vaccinated.
In this category, about 28 million youngsters will be able to receive one-third of the adult dosage in two injections spaced three weeks apart. They might start receiving vaccinations as early as Wednesday if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approve of it, which is likely to happen.
Children's vaccinations will be widely available at physician offices, community health centers, children's hospitals, and pharmacies, according to the Biden administration, with 15 million doses ready to ship immediately, according to a report published in NPR.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Endorses Pfizer-BioNTech's Vaccine
All children aged 5 to 11 should have a low-dose COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The action clears the door for doses to be given, but the vaccine may not be widely accessible for a few days.
The decision was made by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday, only hours after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC unanimously voted to recommend the vaccination for children in this age range, according to a report published in USA Today.
Meanwhile, following the Food and Drug Administration's decision to allow the vaccination in this age range, vaccine shipments began last Friday. COVID-19 response coordinator Jeffrey Zients of the White House said 15 million doses of the vaccine are being distributed this week, and the government vaccine distribution program "will be fully functioning" by next Monday, Nov. 8.
Doses To Be Given To Children
The vaccination will still be administered in two three-week intervals. The dose for the younger age groups has been reduced to 10 micrograms each injection, compared to 30 micrograms for the older age groups. When opposed to the purple caps on the vials for older groups, the caps on the children's vials will be orange, making them immediately identifiable.
Meanwhile, during a day of live-streamed deliberations on Tuesday, the CDC assembled a panel of independent experts to analyze the existing data on the state of the state of the pandemic in children, the efficiency of Pfizer's vaccine, and its likely adverse effects. The group unanimously approved the vaccination, which was later backed up by the CDC.
Needless to say, the primary source of worry was the possibility of myocarditis, a heart muscle inflammation, which was discovered in teenagers and young adults (mainly men) after immunization with the Pfizer or Moderna doses. Nearly 880 instances in adults under the age of 30 have been verified by health officials, with roughly 830 requiring hospitalization.
