Doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could be injected into the arms of Massachusetts children as early as Wednesday now that a panel of CDC advisors has voted to recommend vaccination for kids age 5-11.A final decision from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the former Massachusetts General Hospital chief of Infectious Diseases, is expected within hours. It will mark the first opportunity for Americans under 12 to get the powerful protection of any COVID-19 vaccine.The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of kid-sized doses for children ages 5 to 11. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also had to sign off before widespread vaccinations begin in that age group.Ahead of the CDC action, Pfizer was packing and shipping the first orders, millions of doses, to states and pharmacies to be ready. In Massachusetts, some of those doses have already arrived at providers’ offices. “Depending upon what the recommendations are, we’ll be ready to go. So, this rollout has gone very smoothly, our supplies are here. We actually even have the vaccine here, and we’ll be ready to go,” said Dr. Robyn Riseberg, of Boston Community Pediatrics. Pfizer’s kid shots contain a third of the vaccine dose that’s already been used to vaccinate millions of people 12 and older. The 5- to 11-year-olds will receive two shots, three weeks apart, the same schedule as everyone else — but a smaller amount in each shot, using a smaller needle.A study of 2,268 youngsters found the kid-size vaccine is nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 — based on 16 diagnoses among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got the real vaccination.The FDA examined more children, a total of 3,100 who were vaccinated, in concluding the shots are safe. The younger children experienced similar or fewer reactions — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — than teens or young adults get after larger doses.That study wasn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. The FDA ultimately decided the benefits from vaccination outweigh the potential that younger kids getting a smaller dose also might experience that rare risk.The FDA’s decision came after its own advisers struggled with whether every young child needed a vaccine — a key question in Tuesday’s deliberations, too. Youngsters hospitalized with COVID-19 are more likely to have high-risk conditions such as obesity or diabetes — but otherwise healthy children can get seriously ill, too. And many pediatricians and parents have clamored for protection for youngsters so they can resume normal childhood activities without risking their own health — or the fear of bringing the virus home to a more vulnerable family member.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could be injected into the arms of Massachusetts children as early as Wednesday now that a panel of CDC advisors has voted to recommend vaccination for kids age 5-11.
A final decision from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the former Massachusetts General Hospital chief of Infectious Diseases, is expected within hours. It will mark the first opportunity for Americans under 12 to get the powerful protection of any COVID-19 vaccine.
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The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of kid-sized doses for children ages 5 to 11. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also had to sign off before widespread vaccinations begin in that age group.
Ahead of the CDC action, Pfizer was packing and shipping the first orders, millions of doses, to states and pharmacies to be ready. In Massachusetts, some of those doses have already arrived at providers’ offices.
“Depending upon what the recommendations are, we’ll be ready to go. So, this rollout has gone very smoothly, our supplies are here. We actually even have the vaccine here, and we’ll be ready to go,” said Dr. Robyn Riseberg, of Boston Community Pediatrics.
Pfizer’s kid shots contain a third of the vaccine dose that’s already been used to vaccinate millions of people 12 and older. The 5- to 11-year-olds will receive two shots, three weeks apart, the same schedule as everyone else — but a smaller amount in each shot, using a smaller needle.
A study of 2,268 youngsters found the kid-size vaccine is nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 — based on 16 diagnoses among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got the real vaccination.
The FDA examined more children, a total of 3,100 who were vaccinated, in concluding the shots are safe. The younger children experienced similar or fewer reactions — such as sore arms, fever or achiness — than teens or young adults get after larger doses.
That study wasn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. The FDA ultimately decided the benefits from vaccination outweigh the potential that younger kids getting a smaller dose also might experience that rare risk.
The FDA’s decision came after its own advisers struggled with whether every young child needed a vaccine — a key question in Tuesday’s deliberations, too. Youngsters hospitalized with COVID-19 are more likely to have high-risk conditions such as obesity or diabetes — but otherwise healthy children can get seriously ill, too.
And many pediatricians and parents have clamored for protection for youngsters so they can resume normal childhood activities without risking their own health — or the fear of bringing the virus home to a more vulnerable family member.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.