Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced Tuesday evening that she was endorsing a
recommendation to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 against Covid-19.
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11.
The ruling has paved the way for the first-ever vaccination of children under the age of 6 in the U.S.
When will children be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19?
COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 have now been approved by both the FDA and the CDC. However, because Pfizer's vaccine for younger children uses a slightly different formula than the adult vaccine, it may take a few days for doctors' offices and clinics to receive the vaccine.
The vaccine program for children ages 5 to 11 will be "fully up and running" by the week of Nov. 8, according to White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccination has been available to children aged 12 and up for some time. Moderna, the other mRNA vaccine, and Johnson & Johnson, the sole single-dose vaccine on the US market, are not yet accessible for children.
My child suffers from allergies. Will they be able to get the vaccine?
"If the child has a history of anaphylaxis or other severe allergies, then the observation time after the injection may be 30 minutes instead of 15," Dr. Anne Liu, an infectious disease specialist with Stanford Hospital and Clinics and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, said in August.
As a result, you may be requested to remain with your kid in the waiting area for an additional 15 minutes so that health care personnel can monitor vaccine recipients for the (very rare) adverse reaction that can occur after any vaccination.
In addition, children who have been prescribed an EpiPen for whatever reason should bring it to their vaccine appointment, according to Liu.
The World Health Organization says if your child has a severe allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine available to them, they should not take it. Adults who are allergic to any of the COVID-19 vaccine's ingredients should avoid it.
My child can't be vaccinated yet. What are our options?
According to Harvard Health, when spending time with other families with children, it's better if everyone wears a mask and isolates themselves if there's a COVID-19 exposure.
Choosing more outdoor activities and avoiding crowds, especially when outside, can also help protect your children. Parents and older siblings who have been vaccinated should wear masks to prevent diseases from spreading to individuals who aren't as protected, such as children.
This autumn, the CDC has made in-person learning a priority for children, and it has provided recommendations on prevention techniques that schools can use to keep students and staff safe.
