Children one step closer to being eligible for COVID vaccine
ORLANDO, Fla. - Younger kids are one step closer to being able to get the COVID-19 vaccine. On Friday, the FDA approved the Pfizer shot for emergency use in children five to 11 years old.
"It’s a third of the adult dose that the general population gets ages 18 and above," said Dr. Jason Littleton, a family medicine doctor in Orlando.
The FDA says data shows the vaccine is almost 91% effective in preventing COVID in the age group.
Dr. Littleton says the rollout may be slower than when the vaccine became available for teens and adults.
"I think there’s definitely demand. There’s going to be some hesitancy more than adults I believe because there are going to be parents concerned about how their child will react to the COVID-19 vaccine," Littleton said.
About 28 million children could soon be eligible for the vaccine but it’s unclear how many parents will immunize their kids.
"They just want to make sure that if they have any type of allergies that they want to discuss that with pediatrician or family physician and really get an understanding so if they do choose the vaccine – they feel confident and at peace with it," Littleton said.
The CDC still needs to sign off on the plan before kids can get the shot.