COVID vaccines for children already prepped for shipment, ahead of CDC meeting

The Biden administration has prepared shipments of low-dose COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 ahead of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions final approval, according to reports.

“We are not waiting on the operations and logistics,” said White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients to the Associated Press. 

As the U.S. heads into winter, the Biden administration hopes to fend off a potential devastating wave of COVID cases by vaccinating school-aged children. 

Tomorrow the CDC’s panel of experts will discuss detailed recommendations for the low-dose Pfizer vaccine if they decide to grant it emergency authorization for young children. After the panel provides its recommendations, agency director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will give the final approval concerning the vaccine. 

During last week's coronavirus task force meeting, the White House announced it has enough doses of the Pfizer vaccine to vaccinate all 28 million children in the U.S. 

According to the FDA, the vaccine appears to be 91% effective in young children at combating the virus, and no serious side effects were found in the trial study. 

The CDC’s recommendations are expected as early as tomorrow afternoon.