HOUSTON — Pediatricians, schools, hospitals and pharmacies are preparing to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to 11 years old in the next two weeks.
The FDA will meet on October 26 to review data on the Pfizer vaccine for that age group. If the FDA and CDC sign off, elementary school kids could start getting shots the first week of November.
“We have secured vaccine supply to vaccinate every child ages 5 through 11, and as soon as the vaccine is authorized by the FDA, we will begin shipping millions of those doses nationwide,” said Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
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The White House says it is working with children’s hospitals -- including Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston -- to get shots in arms as quickly as possible.
Dr. Julie Boom with TCH says multiple vaccination events are already penciled in for November.
“We’ve reached out to many regional school districts and churches to offer vaccine events in your neighborhood to make it convenient for children and parents to get vaccinated,” Boom said.
A spokesperson with the Texas Department of State Health Services say more than 2,000 providers are already signed up to receive the lower dose vaccines as soon as its authorized.
“I think this will be one of those next things that gets us back to having a normal life again,” said Dr. Boom.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses spaced three weeks apart and a two-week wait for full protection to kick in, meaning kids who get their first shot within a couple weeks of the expected approval in early November will be fully vaccinated by Christmas.