Maya Griesemer (7 years old) receives her first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus (COVID-19 vaccine) from Seattle Public Schools' school day clinic at Bailey Gatzert elementary in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A, November 8, 2021.
Biden's administration stated that it has enough vaccine to inoculate all 28 millions 5- to 11-year olds in the U.S. It will distribute it in smaller doses and with smaller needles to make it more convenient for pharmacists and pediatricians to give to children.
During a briefing at the White House on the pandemic, he stated that "Families across America are breathing huge sighss of relief" and added that the Biden administration would continue to work with the states and health-care providers in order to provide more doses.
Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator, stated that approximately 700,000 more children are scheduled at local pharmacies for their shots.
The White House announced Wednesday that approximately 900,000 children aged 5-11 have received their first doses of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine. This was after U.S. regulators approved the shots for younger age groups last week.
Pfizer's vaccine is available in smaller doses for children, which are one-third the amount given to teenagers and adults. The vaccine is available in orange-capped, labeled vials. This is in contrast to the purple vials that are for adults 12 and over.
Children who start their series of shots in this week's week will be fully vaccinated before Christmas.
Federal regulators and experts in health say that children are less likely to be affected by severe Covid than adults, but that only a small number of them do. More than 6.5 million children tested positive for Covid as of Nov. 4. They account for between 1.7% and 4.2% of all hospitalizations in states that report such data according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
According to the CDC, at least 2,316 children aged 5-11 years old have been diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome for children (MIS-C), a rare, but severe, Covid-related condition.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, fully vaccinating 1,000,000 children ages 5-11 would prevent 58,000 Covid infection, 241 hospitalizations, and 77 ICU stays. One death could be avoided. According to the agency, vaccine-induced myocarditis would affect up to 106 children but most of them would recover.
Zients announced Wednesday that the program for children aged 5-11 is new and has "new sites" and "specialized doses being sent out to these sites."
Zients stated that 114 hospitals across the country now offer shots to children under five years old. Many also host vaccination events to increase immunization.
Biden's administration also provides FEMA-supported mobile clinics to states. Some states offer shots in the morning, before parents head to work, he stated.
