US is set to begin vaccinating children as young as six months after CDC cleared Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s shots for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months, allowing a nationwide rollout to start next week.
Aljazeera on Sunday reports that the CDC’s decision came after a panel of advisers to the institution voted to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for those children.
Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said in a statement; “We know millions of parents and caregivers are eager to get their young children vaccinated, and with today’s decision, they can.”
US President Joe Biden hailed the decision as a good step and said his administration plans to roll out the vaccines to the under-five age groups as early as next week.
“This coming week, parents will be able to start scheduling appointments at places like pediatricians’ offices, children’s hospitals, and pharmacies.
“Appointments will ramp up as more doses are shipped out, and in the coming weeks, every parent who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.”
The US Food and Drug Administration had on Friday authorised Moderna Inc’s shot for children aged six months to five years, and Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for children aged six months to four years.
Pfizer-BioNtech’s vaccine is for children 6 months to 4 years old.
The dose is one-tenth of the adult dose, and three shots are needed.
The first two are given three weeks apart, and the last at least two months later.
