Covid-19: First shots for kids under 5 possible June 21, says White House
The Biden adminration said Thursday that children under 5 may be able to get their first Covid-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorise shots for the age group, as expected.
White House Covid-19 coordinator Ashish Jha outlined the adminration’s planning for the last remaining ineligible age group to get shots. He said the Food and Drug Adminration’s outside panel of advisers will meet on June 14-15 to evaluate the Pfizer and Moderna shots for younger kids. Shipments to doctors’ offices and pediatric care facilities would begin soon after FDA authorisation, with the first shots possible the following week.
Jha said states can begin placing orders for pediatric vaccines on Friday, and said the adminration has an initial supply of 10 million doses available. He said it may take a few days for the vaccines to arrive across the country and vaccine appointments to be widespread.
“Our expectation is that within weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able to get an appointment,” Jha said.Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
The timeline would provide parents with the opportunity to get their children fully vaccinated in time for the beginning of the next school year.
The Biden adminration is pressing states to prioritise large-volume sites like children’s hospitals and to make appointments available outside regular work hours to make it easier for parents to get their kids vaccinated.
In the view of the White House, eliminating the last significant cohort not yet eligible for vaccines will go a long way in building confidence among some Americans who have been wary to return to many of their pre-pandemic activities, helping the country emerge from the pandemic.
Jha acknowledged the “frustration” of parents of young children who have been waiting more than a year for shots for their kids.
“At the end of the day we all want to move fast, but we’ve got to get it right,” he said.
