The White House on Tuesday told states to prepare to vaccinate children as young as 5 by early November, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t yet authorized Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children under 12, and despite safety concerns expressed by scientists and pediatricians.
In a private phone call Tuesday with the nation’s governors, the White House told states to prepare to vaccinate children as young as 5 by early November. A White House official said the call was made in anticipation of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine being cleared for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the coming weeks for children ages 5 to 11.
According to NBC News, the Biden administration purchased 65 million pediatric doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine — enough to vaccinate an estimated 28 million children who would be eligible should the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approve Pfizer’s request to vaccinate the younger age group.
In anticipation of a green light from the FDA, the administration began planning vaccination efforts with states, pharmacies and medical groups. The administration told providers in a planning document last week the vaccine for children will be delivered to thousands of sites within one week of FDA authorization.
The pediatric Pfizer vaccine will be distributed in 100-dose packs. Each dose is one-third of what is given to adults, and will be free through sites enrolled in a federal program that guarantees the shots are provided at no cost. Some states are planning to provide the vaccine through schools.
“We’ve secured plenty of supply, and we’ll be putting in place an allocation, ordering and distribution system similar to what we’ve used for the other vaccines,” said Biden’s White House COVID coordinator, Jeff Zients, on a phone call, obtained by ABC News, with governors.
“It is distressing to hear that the Biden administration has already purchased 65 million doses of pediatric COVID vaccines,” said Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, pediatric physician and CEO of the Rimland Center for Integrative Medicine. “Vaccinating children is not the way out of the pandemic.”
In an email to The Defender, Mumper said she hopes the White House will consider the following data:
Remember, Mumper said, COVID injections do not diminish transmission, the vaccinated can catch and spread COVID and with children we should first do no harm.
FDA to meet Oct. 26 on Pfizer vaccine for kids, experts question need, safety…
Read full story [icon name=”arrow-right” prefix=”fas”] White House Tells Governors to Get Ready to Vaccinate Young Kids, Even Though FDA Hasn’t Approved It. Pediatrician Says, Not so Fast. • Children’s Health Defense