The US government announced Thursday that children under the age of 5 could start receiving their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as early as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for that age group, as expected. as they are expected to do.
Ashish Jha, coordinator of the White House response to the pandemic, explained the plans of the US government so that the last age group that is not yet eligible receives the vaccines. He said the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) outside panel of advisers will meet June 14-15 to review vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna for younger children. Shipments to doctors’ offices and pediatric care facilities would begin shortly after FDA clearance, with the first injections being given the week after that.
Jha said states can start ordering the pediatric vaccines on Friday, saying the government has an initial supply of 10 million doses available. He noted that it may take a few days for the vaccines to reach the entire country and for vaccination appointments to become more widespread.
“Our expectation is that in a few weeks all parents who want to vaccinate their children will be able to get an appointment,” Jha said.
The Biden administration is pushing states to prioritize high-volume centers like children’s hospitals and to offer after-hours appointments to make it easier for parents to get their children vaccinated.
Jha acknowledged the “frustration” of parents of young children who have been waiting more than a year for their children’s vaccines.
“We all want to act quickly, but we have to do it right,” he said.
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