CDC panel to vote Tuesday on Pfizer vaccine for kids

A cardinal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sheet connected Tuesday volition clasp a ballot connected whether to urge an exigency usage authorization for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children arsenic young arsenic 5.

The CDC's Advisory Committee connected Immunization Practices volition ballot astatine 4:15 p.m. ET connected whether a smaller dose of the Pfizer vaccine should beryllium approved for usage successful children aged 5 to 11 years old.

If the sheet votes successful favour of a recommendation, physicians tin statesman getting shots successful arms arsenic soon arsenic bureau manager Dr. Rochelle Walensky issues the ceremonial EUA aboriginal this week.

The Pfizer vaccine would beryllium the archetypal COVID-19 changeable to beryllium made disposable for children. The Pfizer vaccine has already been afloat approved for radical aged 16 and up and is disposable for adolescents aged 12 to 15 nether exigency usage authorization.

Yesterday, during a briefing of the White House COVID-19 effect team, coordinator Jeff Zients said that the Biden medication has already begun the process of shipping doses for children to doctor's offices and hospitals crossed the country. Officials accidental 15 cardinal doses volition beryllium made disposable instantly upon approval.

The ACIP ballot comes a time aft the CDC reported that 80% of adults successful the U.S. had gotten astatine slightest 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC says 67% of the full U.S. colonisation has astatine slightest 1 dose — a fig that's definite to emergence erstwhile vaccines for children are made available.

The CDC says that 58% of the U.S. colonisation — astir 193 cardinal radical — are afloat vaccinated against COVID-19. Another 19 cardinal radical person received an further booster shot.