October 20, 2021 – The Biden administration says it plans to make Covid-19 vaccines available to children ages 5-11 at more than 25,000 pediatric offices and primary care sites and at pharmacies and schools, if the vaccine is approved by federal regulators.
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE submitted data to the FDA this month seeking emergency authorization of the vaccine. The White House said it has procured enough doses to inoculate the nation’s children and will begin shipping them across the country if and when the vaccine is cleared for use.
A panel of outside experts at the FDA is scheduled to review the data Oct. 26. Although the agency doesn’t have to follow the group’s recommendation, it typically does. The CDC’s independent advisory committee will meet on Nov. 2-3 to consider the vaccine.
The White House said the administration has been coordinating with state and local leaders on plans to distribute the vaccines if approved. If authorized, young children would receive two injections of the vaccine, three weeks apart, just like adolescents and adults do but at a lower dosage.
In addition to pediatricians, primary care offices and pharmacies, the administration also plans to set up vaccination sites at hundreds of schools and community-based clinics with funding and support provided through FEMA.