U.S. health officials have opened COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers — the last group without the shots.
This May 2022 photo provided by Pfizer shows production of the Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 in Puurs, Belgium. U.S. regulators on Friday, June 17, authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week. The shots will become available next week, expanding the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 6 months.
While the Food and Drug Administration approves vaccines, it’s the CDC that decides who should get them. Roughly 18 million kids will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November.Two brands — Pfizer and Moderna — got the green light Friday from the FDA and Saturday from the CDC. The vaccines use the same technology but are being offered at different dose sizes and number of shots for the youngest kids.
However, exactly how well they work is hard to pin down, especially when it comes to the Pfizer vaccine. “It is worth vaccinating even though the number of deaths are relatively rare, because these deaths are preventable through vaccination,” said Dr. Matthew Daley, a Kaiser Permanente Colorado researcher who sits on the CDC’s advisory committee.“Whatever vaccine your health care provider, pediatrician has, that’s what I would give my child,’’ Marks said Friday.
U.S. officials expect most shots to take place at pediatricians’ offices. Many parents may be more comfortable getting the vaccine for their kids at their regular doctor, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said. He predicted the pace of vaccination will be far slower than it was for older populations.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US opens COVID-19 vaccines to children under 5; shots to begin next weekThe advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously decided that coronavirus vaccines should be opened to children as young as 6 months.
Read more »
COVID-19 vaccine: CDC panel approves 1st shots for US kids under 5With the CDC's final sign-off, roughly 18 million children under 5 would be eligible for COVID-19 shots.
Read more »
US opens COVID-19 vaccines to children under 5; shots to begin next weekThe advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously decided that coronavirus vaccines should be opened to children as young as 6 months.
Read more »
US opens COVID-19 vaccines to children under 5; shots to begin next weekThe advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unanimously decided that coronavirus vaccines should be opened to children as young as 6 months.
Read more »
FDA advisors approve COVID-19 vaccine shots for kids under 5-years-old -SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – An FDA advisory panel supports COVID-19 vaccines for children six months of age to five years old. With the FDA vaccine chief saying, “there is a troubling surge in children’s hospitalizations during the omicron wave. Children in that age group are the only ones not currently eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. All 21 vaccine advisors...
Read more »
COVID-19 vaccine: FDA authorizes 1st shots for kids under 5; CDC review nextBREAKING: U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.
Read more »