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Children ages 5 to 11 next in line for COVID-19 vaccines

Kids COVID-19 vaccines
Posted at 4:29 PM, Oct 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-21 18:29:16-04

Next week, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will be reviewing data for the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years old.

Following their consideration, if given the green light, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will then issue guidelines for use and doses will be given out.

So, it could within the next couple of weeks that millions of kids ages 5 to11 will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“If all goes according to plan and what we hope happens is once the communities look at the data and have discussions, is that vaccination can start as quickly as possible thereafter,” state epidemiologist Christine Hahn said during a weekly media briefing Tuesday.

The FDA panel meets Tuesday, Oct. 26 to consider emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11, but no vaccinations will happen until the CDC issues its final recommendation after meeting on November 2nd and 3rd.

“So even though vaccines could potentially be shipped to states as early as next week, they won’t be able to be administered until at least November 3rd or 4th. That is when the CDC will issue its final recommendation,” White House Covid Vaccinations Coordinator Dr. Cechara Choucair said.

Only about 30% of Idaho teens ages 12 to 15 are fully vaccinated according to the Department of Health and Welfare’s dashboard, but officials hope parents choose to vaccinate their kids.

"If you are unvaccinated, you’re 5 times more likely to catch this virus,” Choucair said.

“We know we have 61,800 doses in that first allocation. They will be allocated out about roughly about 20,00 doses per week,” Hahn said.

The dose for children is smaller, with only 10 micrograms where adults get 30. Plus, smaller needles will be used.

“We have specialized needles because this is for kids. So all of this will come with the ancillary kits that will come with the trays to doctors' offices to pharmacies to community health centers across the country," Choucair said.