COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Children Ages 5-11
June 21, 2022: COVID-19 Vaccines are now approved for children as young as 6 months.
28 million children are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Rochelle Walensky, the Director of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), signed off on a recommendation that Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine be made available to children ages 5-11. The vaccine dose for children 5-11 is one-third the size of an adult dose, given as a series of two shots with three weeks between each shot.
If you or your child are not yet vaccinated and are interested in learning more about the vaccine or finding a shot near you, CareFirst has you covered.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization for the shot last week after its vaccine advisory committee overwhelmingly supported its use. Pfizer estimates the vaccine to be over 90% effective in the age group.
Distribution of pediatric vaccinations across the country started this week, with plans to scale up to full capacity starting the week of November 8. Vaccines will be available at thousands of pediatric healthcare provider offices, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers and more.
Why should I consider vaccination for my child?
Vaccines reduce the chance of a child developing serious sudden illness or long-term COVID symptoms.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns pediatricians to look out for residual or long-term COVID-19 problems. These include respiratory symptoms, which can last three months or more; heart issues, including a type of heart inflammation known as myocarditis; cognitive problems such as “brain fog;” headache; fatigue and mental health issues among COVID-positive patients.
“As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated.”
"We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a vaccine," Walensky said in a statement.
Rochelle Walensky,
Director of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
The AAP also suggests that children who have had moderate or severe COVID-19 may be at greater risk for subsequent heart disease.
Unvaccinated children can also contribute to the spread of COVID. Widespread vaccination for COVID-19 is the best tool we have to protect everyone, especially those at highest risk from severe illness and death.
According to a modeled scenario published by the FDA, fully vaccinating 1 million children ages 5 to 11 would prevent:
- 58,000 COVID-19 infections
- 241 hospitalizations
- 77 ICU stays
- and one death