COVID Vaccine For Kids 5 to 11 in Two Weeks?

More COVID-19 infection help is on the way. The White House announced that the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for kids aged 5-11 could begin in just two weeks.

CBS News reports that the CDC is expected to give formal approval to the Pfizer vaccine at the beginning of November and then shots will immediately be shipped to pediatricians, pharmacies, and even some schools. The shots for young kids will be a smaller dose than those given to older kids and adults and will be injected using smaller needles.

There is a big challenge here in that many parents need to be convinced to have their children vaccinated. The White House is preparing to mobilize a stepped-up campaign to educate parents and kids about the safety of the shots and the ease of getting them. As has been the case for adult vaccinations, the administration believes trusted messengers — educators, doctors, and community leaders — will be vital to encouraging vaccinations. The country now has ample supplies of the Pfizer shot to vaccinate the roughly 28 million kids who will soon be eligible.

More than 25,000 pediatricians and primary care providers have already signed on to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in addition to the tens of thousands of retail pharmacies that are already administering shots to adults. Hundreds of school- and community-based clinics will also be funded and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help speed putting shots into arms.

About 219 million Americans aged 12 and up, or 66% of the total population, have received a COVID-19 shot, and nearly 190 million are fully vaccinated.