Kids in U.S. as young as 6 months can get COVID-19 vaccines next week, following CDC, FDA approval

COVID-19 vaccines will become available for infants, toddlers and preschoolers in the United States for the first time next week.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the vaccines for childrenas young as six months old, and the final signoff came hours later from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency's director.

"We know millions of parents and caregivers are eager to get their young children vaccinated, and with today's decision, they can," Walensky said in a statement.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorizedModerna's shot for children aged six months to fiveyears, and Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine forchildren aged six months to fouryears. Pfizer's vaccine is alreadyauthorized for children over the age of five.While the FDA approves the vaccines themselves, it's the CDC that decides who should get them.

"This infection kills children and we have an opportunity toprevent that," Beth Bell, one of the doctors on the panel, saidfollowing the vote. "Here is an opportunity to prevent a knownrisk."

Rollout to begin next week

President Joe Biden's administration plans to roll out thevaccines to the under-fiveage groups as early as next week.

"We will begin shipping millions of vaccine doses for kidsto thousands of locations parents know and trust includingpediatricians' offices, children's hospitals, and pharmacies,"Biden said in a statement on Friday.

"As doses are delivered, parents will be able to startscheduling vaccinations for their youngest kids as early as nextweek, with appointments ramping up over the coming days andweeks."

CVS plans to provide vaccines tochildren aged 18 months and older while Rite Aidand Walmart pharmacies plan to offer these shots for kids whoare at least threeyears old. Infants are traditionally vaccinatedat a doctor's office.

While many parents in the United States are eager tovaccinate their children, it is unclear how strong demand willbe for the shots. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized forchildren aged fiveto 11 in October, but only about 29 per centof thatgroup is so far fully vaccinated, federal data shows.

Public health officials have been pushing for thesevaccinations ahead of the new school year as they hope shots forthe age group will help prevent hospitalizations and deaths ifCOVID-19 cases rise again.

COVID-19 is generally more mild in children. Still, sinceMarch 2020 it has been the fifth leading cause of deathinchildren aged one to fourand the fourth leading cause of death inchildren younger than one, according to the CDC.

There is no COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada on children younger than five years old.Older Canadian children have been able to get a COVID-19 vaccine for months Pfizer's vaccine is approved for kids five and up and Moderna's for children six and up.

WATCH | Canadian doctor reacts to U.S. approvals:

Canadian pediatrician welcomes U.S. approval of COVID-19 vaccines for kids

2 years ago

Duration 4:40

Pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Cora Constantinescu says a significant number of Canadian kids remain unprotected and can benefit from an approved COVID-19 vaccine.