CDC Gives Final Clearance To COVID-19 Vaccines For Kids 5-11, Shots Can Start Right Away
WASHINGTON (CBS) - A panel of outside advisers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met Tuesday and voted unanimously to recommend the first coronavirus vaccine for younger children.
Pfizer says its' shot for 5-to-11 year-olds is more than 90-percent effective. The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of it on Friday.
"They were very thoughtful about how they voted, they considered many factors in weighing the risks versus the benefits to the vaccine in kids ages 5-to-11, including things like the studies have shown the vaccine is more than 90-percent effective, the vaccine appears to be very safe, causing minimal side effect and no cases of myocarditis or other serious complications identified in clinical trials," WBZ-TV's Dr. Mallika Marshall explained.
Just after the CDC panel's approval, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky gave the final approval, meaning children in that age group could get their first shots right away.
Pfizer's two-shot vaccine for younger children will be a 10 microgram dose, lower than the 30 microgram doses for people 12 and older.