White House: COVID-19 vaccination program for 5 to 11-year-olds to be up and running next week
The Food and Drug Administration gave its approval for children aged 5 to 11 to receive a smaller dose of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer.
Dr. Rhonda Achonolu comforts her son Amechi, 7, as he is inoculated with first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in the Bronx borough of New York.
Twins Ryann, left, and Jamie Onofrio Franceschini, 11, pose for a photo with Covid-19 vaccine stickers after being inoculated with the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children five to 12 years at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in the Bronx borough of New York.
Carter Giglio, 8, joined by service dog Barney of Hero Dogs, shows off the bandaid over his injection site after being vaccinated, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.
Carter Giglio, 8, hugs Dr. Bear before being vaccinated, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.
Finn Washburn, 9, shows his vaccination site as his mother, Kate Elsley, takes a photo shortly after he received a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Kidney transplant patient Sophia Silvaamaya, 5, held by her father Pedro Silvaamaya, is vaccinated by nurse Kelly Vanderwende, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.
Matthew Yip, 8, waits in line to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
A bandage is placed on Mackenzie Olson, 10, after receiving her COVID-19 vaccination at a pediatrician’s office on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in Decatur, Ga.
An excited Cate Zeigler-Amon, 10, hangs out of the car as she waits with her mom, Sara Zeigler, to receive her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Viral Solutions vaccination and testing site in Decatur, Ga., on the first day COVID-19 vaccinations were available for children from 5 to 11 on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 12 years old is shown at the Viral Solutions vaccination and testing site in Decatur, Ga., Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Leah Lefkove, 9, shows off her vaccination sticker just before being the first child to be vaccinated at the Viral Solutions vaccination and testing site in Decatur, Ga., on the first day COVID-19 vaccinations were available for children from 5 to 11 on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Dr. Rhonda Achonolu comforts her son Kenechi, 9, as he is inoculated with first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in the Bronx borough of New York.
Jill Holm-Denoma, left, holds her nearly 6-year-old son, Tyler, as he receives a COVID-19 vaccination from Emily Cole, a registered nurse at National Jewish Health, during the pediatric vaccine rollout Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in east Denver.
This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows kid-size doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in Puurs, Belgium.
Mackenzie Olson, 10, awaits her COVID-19 vaccination as her mother, Christine Olson, fills out paperwork at a pediatrician’s office on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in Decatur, Ga.
A child’s dose of the COVID-19 vaccination is shown, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.
Audrey Onaissi receives an injection of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, as her sister Ava Onaissi, 8, waits her turn.
An RN holds a vial with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children five to 12 years at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in the Bronx borough of New York.
Parents who have been waiting to get their children inoculated against the coronavirus will be able to do so soon.
The White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Monday that the distribution of the child-sized shots should be fully up and running starting next week, Reuters reported.
Shortly after the FDA’s approval, Zients had told NPR that the shots would not be instantly available after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives its final approval, which is expected to come this week.
“We are hard at work, planning the logistics and making sure that vaccines will be available at tens of thousands of sites that parents and kids know and trust,” Zients told NPR.
Some of those sites include 25,000 pediatricians’ and doctors’ offices, New York Magazine reported.
>>Related: Coronavirus: Moderna says FDA needs more time to assess EUA for teen vaccines
Zients told reporters during a virtual briefing Monday that 15 million doses of Pfizer’s children’s COVID-19 vaccines are being shipped, Reuters reported.
He said the government has ordered enough vaccines for every 5- to 11-year-old in the country, NPR reported.
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