FDA Approval Of Vaccinations For Ages 5-11

On October 29, the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, authorized vaccinations for children aged 5-11. Soon after on November 2, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) director Rochelle Walensky made eligible the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11. Out of roughly 47 million COVID-19 cases in the US, children make up for nearly 6.6 million cases.

Since its approval, almost 2.6 million children have received the first dose of the vaccination. Children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible for vaccinations that will be provided in significantly lower dosages, two injections given with a three-week period in between. Comparatively, this dose will be about a third of the adult dose yet is proved over 90% effective in infection prevention. This dosage has generated a good immune response in children and has had bearable reactions in general, put up against those of teenagers.

The timing of the approval fits well since many schools have opened across the country, and the Delta variant is in swing, meaning that children will not only more frequently be in contact with others, but also be under the possibility of more risk, all of which can be worrying for parents. Some schools even have vaccination drives planned before the start of Thanksgiving break. Although approved, many panel members do worry about the potential side effects that may not be apparent in current research that support the vaccines, as well as those which appear as rare cases. The accuracy of supporting studies is discussed as plans by the federal government to get all of the 28 million children vaccinated are carried forth. Dr. Walensky mentioned in meetings regarding this matter, stating, “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.”

As always, whether you are vaccinated or not, remember to follow proper procedures in caring for yourself and for others. Follow measures like maintaining distance from others, wearing masks and similar protective gear when having company or generically in public, refraining from meeting in large groups while always keeping good personal hygiene.