LA County ready to start vaccinating kids 5-11, as final federal OK nears

Los Angeles County received its archetypal shipment of pediatric doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine today, the aforesaid time a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee approved the shots for kids aged 5-11.

The committee’s support follows the OK fixed past week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Once CDC manager Dr. Rochelle Walensky gives last support — perchance Tuesday oregon Wednesday — the shots volition instantly go disposable to those aged 5-11.

An influential advisory sheet connected Tuesday recommended kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for each children ages 5 to 11, putting the U.S. connected the brink of the large enlargement of vaccinations. A last determination was expected soon.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said determination are 900 providers successful the region that volition beryllium acceptable to administer the pediatric doses.

“Sites that person doses contiguous mightiness beryllium capable to commencement vaccinations arsenic aboriginal arsenic time (Wednesday) day oregon Thursday,” Ferrer told the region Board of Supervisors.

She said the region received its archetypal shipment of pediatric doses Tuesday, with the region expecting to person a full of astir 300,000 doses wrong the adjacent week to 10 days.

According to Ferrer, determination are astir 900,000 kids aged 5-11 successful the county.

“We don’t expect scarcity, and we expect that determination volition beryllium ample vaccines to conscionable demand,” she said.

While the pediatric shots are a little dosage than the big vaccine, the doses indispensable beryllium fixed connected the aforesaid docket — 2 shots administered 21 days apart. Ferrer noted that children indispensable person a signed consent signifier from an big to person the shot, and immoderate vaccination sites necessitate them to beryllium accompanied by an adult.

The pediatric shots volition beryllium offered nether an exigency usage authorization, the aforesaid authorization fixed to the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and to the Pfizer vaccine for radical aged 12-15. Pfizer’s vaccine has afloat national support for radical aged 16 and up.

According to Ferrer, determination person been much than 79,000 COVID cases during the pandemic among children aged 5-11 successful the county, and 1 fatality. About 37,000 cases person occurred successful kids up to property 4, besides with 1 death, and much than 89,000 cases successful those aged 12-17, with 5 deaths.

“Over the week ending Oct. 10, 12% of L.A. County cases were successful children aged 5-11, and children successful this property radical comprise 9% of the county’s population,” Ferrer said past week.

In Los Angeles County, 80% of residents aged 12 and older person received astatine slightest 1 dose of vaccine, portion 72% are afloat vaccinated, according to the county. Among the county’s wide colonisation of 10.3 cardinal people, including those nether property 12 who aren’t yet eligible for the shots, 69% person received astatine slightest 1 dose, and 61% are afloat vaccinated.

Black residents proceed to person the lowest vaccination rates, with conscionable 56% having received astatine slightest 1 dose. That compares with 64% of Latino/a residents, 74% of achromatic residents and 83% of Asians.

Younger Black residents person peculiarly debased vaccination rates, with the youngest property radical astatine 43% with astatine slightest 1 dose.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.