COVID vaccine for younger kids already being packed, shipped

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anticipating a greenish airy from vaccine advisers, the Biden medication is assembling and shipping millions of COVID-19 shots for children ages 5-11, the White House said Monday. The archetypal could spell into kids’ arms by midweek.

“We are not waiting connected the operations and logistics,” said coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients.

By vaccinating children, the U.S. hopes to caput disconnected different coronavirus question during the cold-weather months erstwhile radical walk much clip indoors and respiratory illnesses tin dispersed much easily. Cases person been declining for weeks, but the microorganism has repeatedly shown its quality to signifier a comeback and much easy transmissible mutations are a persistent threat.

On Tuesday, a peculiar advisory sheet to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention volition conscionable to see elaborate recommendations for administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to younger children. The Food and Drug Administration already cleared the shots, which present astir one-third of the vaccine fixed to adults. After CDC advisers marque their recommendations, bureau manager Dr. Rochelle Walensky volition springiness the last order.

Zients said the authorities has capable of the Pfizer vaccine for each 28 cardinal children successful the 5-11 property group. “We’re successful large signifier connected supply,” Zients said during the White House coronavirus briefing.

The children’s vaccination thrust is expected to commencement aboriginal this week and spell into afloat plaything by adjacent week. Parents volition beryllium capable to spell to vaccines.gov and filter connected vaccines for children 5-11 to find a determination adjacent them that is offering the shot.

Pfizer’s vaccine already has been authorized for usage successful older children.

After the FDA gave its authorization for younger children, the Biden medication asked states, territories and different jurisdictions to spot their archetypal orders. Workers astatine the cause institution and astatine organisation centers began the process of preparing and packing 15 cardinal doses, said Zients.

“More doses volition beryllium packed and shipped and delivered,” helium added. “More and much vaccine volition travel connected enactment arsenic we ramp up.”

The extremity is for parents to person a scope of options for getting children vaccinated, from pediatricians’ offices to clinics and pharmacies.

Walensky acknowledged some a consciousness of urgency and interest astir getting children vaccinated. She stressed that objective trials of the Pfizer vaccine for children person recovered it highly effectual successful preventing superior disease, with nary terrible adverse reactions successful information and efficacy trials.

“There has been a large woody of anticipation from parents,” Walensky said. “I promote parents to inquire questions.”

Separately, Zients announced that astir 70% of U.S. adults are present afloat vaccinated, portion 80% person received astatine slightest 1 vaccine dose.