Latest News on COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids: What Parents Need to Know

• Author: Chris Remington
• Posted: 2024-08-24

The process to get America's children vaccinated against COVID-19 is set to take a big step next week. Here is what you need to know as a mom about getting your child the COVID-19 vaccine and when it may become available to them.

Approval Process

America's children between the ages of 5 and 11 could soon be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine advisory committee for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to meet on October 26 to discuss the data provided by Pfizer regarding its vaccine test trials for the 5 to 11 age group. Should this committee recommend the use of the vaccine in this age group, the process will then move to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC's independent advisory committee is already scheduled to meet on November 2 and 3 to discuss the vaccine. If this committee gives the vaccine the green light, it will be up to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to give the final approval. From there, it could be just a day or two before shots start going into the arms of children in this age group.

Details of Vaccine

Like the adult version of the Pfizer vaccine, the kids will also receive the immunization in two separate doses. It is recommended to receive these doses three weeks apart. Unlike the adult version, the kids' dosage is one-third of the regular dosage amount. Instead of the 30-microgram dose given to adults, kids ages 5 - 11 will only receive a 10-microgram dose.

The pediatric vaccines will be shipped in smaller packages containing approximately 100 doses each. These packages can be stored for up to 10 weeks when put in a standard refrigerator. Alternately, the vaccine remains effective for six months if stored at a colder temperature.

What Pfizer Says

According to Pfizer's preliminary release of data, the vaccine demonstrated a robust immune response in the late-stage trials. In addition, the vaccine was safe and tolerated well by this age group. Pfizer said that the vaccine triggered levels of antibodies that were similar in scope to those generated in younger adults.

Pfizer also said that they recorded fewer side effects in the younger population compared to the same trials in the 16 to 25 age group. The pharmaceutical company also said it recorded no cases of myocarditis in the 5 to 11 age group. This inflammatory heart condition has been found to be an extremely rare side effect for a handful of young men in teenage trial groups.

White House Reveals Rollout Plan

The administration of President Joe Biden is working hard to ensure that all American children in this age group will have access to the shots as soon as they are approved. The goal is to get these shots into as many arms as possible shortly after the vaccine is approved. According to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients, the government has procured enough doses to vaccinate all 25 million kids in this age group.

Zients said on Wednesday that 15 million doses are ready to be sent directly to the states within days of the official approval. The government has procured 65 million doses of the pediatric version. In addition, the White House has ordered the smaller needles necessary for this younger demographic.

Zients also said that the Biden administration understands that kids have different needs when compared to adults, necessitating that the government is ready to offer vaccinations in settings that feel more comfortable and safe. This translates to a greater focus on vaccinations at pediatrician offices versus mass vaccination sites.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is also stepping in to assist the vaccination effort through a national public education campaign geared toward increasing confidence in the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.

Why the Pediatric Vaccine is Important

Health experts are anxious to get the ball rolling with pediatric vaccinations. While COVID-19 does not pose a great risk to children, kids in this age group are vectors of the illness. Stopping the spread in schools could be a big step in getting the virus under control once and for all.