coronavirus pandemic

Millions of Children's COVID Vaccines on the Way to Pediatricians, Clinics

Before shots can start going into arms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must officially sign off

This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows boxes of kid-size doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding vaccinations for millions more children as a panel of government advisers on Tuesday, Oct. 26, endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer's shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.
Pfizer via AP

The COVID vaccine for children is on its way to doctors’ offices across the country, and could be ready to use as soon as Wednesday, White House officials said Monday.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s lower-dose COVID vaccine for emergency use in kids ages 5 to 11 Friday, a move that allowed the federal government to start distributing doses to pediatricians’ offices, rural health clinics, children’s hospitals, pharmacies and other sites where children will be able to receive the vaccine. 

Before shots can start going into arms, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must officially sign off. 

The FDA announced Friday that it had authorized emergency use of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for children ages 5-11.

For more on this story, go to NBC News.

Contact Us