US prepares to vaccinate 5-11 year olds against Covid-19

The US plans to administer Covid-19 vaccines to 28 million children in the 5-11 age group once it’s authorised and recommended by the agencies such as FDA and CDC

The United States on Wednesday rolled out a plan to administer Covid-19 vaccines to 28 million children in the 5-11 age group once it’s authorised and recommended by the health agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Aiden Arthurs receives the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine from pharmacist Andrew Mac in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The US is ready to start vaccinating children aged 5-11 against Covid-19 starting in November, once health experts give the green light, the White House said. (AFP)

The FDA meets on October 26 and the CDC on November 2-3 and approve the vaccine, Pfizer-BioNtech’s Comirnaty. Dosage will possibly be adjusted for children.

Their go-ahead will make the United States the only country in the world to vaccinate children in the 5-11 age group against Covid-19. Many countries are vaccinating children 12 and older for SARS-CoV-2 or plan to, including India which may start inoculating at-risk children soon.

“The start of a vaccination programme for children aged 5-11 will depend on the independent FDA and CDC process and timeline, but our planning efforts mean that we will be ready to begin getting shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation,” the White House said in a fact-sheet.

The Biden administration is ready to start rolling out vaccines for children in this age group after necessary authorisations are in as the White House listed out locations where the vaccine will be administered at - doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, community health centres, and school- and community-based sites. “If authorised by the FDA and recommended by the CDC, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 5-11 year olds will be a dose and formula specifically for this age group,” the fact-sheet said.

“The vaccine will have packaging available in smaller configurations that will make it easier for physicians’ offices and other smaller, community-based providers to offer the vaccine to kids and their families.”

Pending authorisation, the administration plans to distribute the vaccine in 10-dose vials in cartons of 10 vials each (100 doses total). It will be delivered in a newly updated product shipper, and the vaccine can be stored for up to 10 weeks at standard refrigeration temperatures and 6 months at ultra-cold temperatures, the White House said.

The plans include supplying the vaccine with all the ancillary supplies that providers need to inoculate kids, including smaller needles.