US preparing to vaccinate kids aged 5-11 against COVID from November

The US is prepared to start vaccinating children aged 5-11 against COVID-19 starting next month, a move that will make 28 million more Americans eligible for shots, the White House says.

President Joe Biden’s administration says it has already set aside enough supply and partnered with 25,000 sites nationwide — including doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies and even schools — in anticipation that regulators may soon authorize the Pfizer vaccine for kids.

“We expect the FDA and CDC decision on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 in the next couple of weeks,” White House COVID coordinator Jeff Zients tells reporters, referring to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We know millions of parents have been waiting for COVID-19 vaccine for kids in this age group, and should the FDA and CDC authorize the vaccine, we will be ready to get shots in arms.”

The FDA will convene a panel of experts on the issue next week, followed by the CDC on November 2-3, with authorization expected soon after.