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The US regulators, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday authorized and recommended the first COVID-19 vaccines for kids under the age of five.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky termed it an important step in the fight against COVID-19 and said that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines available here in the US can be used safely and effectively in children under five. "Today marks an important step in our fight against #COVID19 by making safe & effective vaccines available for children ages 6 months-5 years. On today's #DirectorDebrief, I discuss the recent recommendation by @CDCgov & the importance of getting children under 5 vaccinated," she tweeted. Parents and caregivers can now get their children 6 months through 5 years of age vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines to better protect them from COVID-19. All children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated, an official statement from the CDC read. The US CDC Director encouraged the parents to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19 and said that with this recent authorization from FDA and recommendation from CDC, nearly 20 million children are now able to get vaccinated against COVID-19. "We now know based on the rigorous scientific review that the vaccine available here in the US can be used safely and effectively in children under five." "Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation's fight against COVID-19. We know millions of parents and caregivers are eager to get their young children vaccinated, and with today's decision, they can. I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated," she added. The CDC confirmed that the distribution of pediatric vaccinations for these younger children has started across the country. These vaccines will be available at pediatric practices, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, local health departments, clinics, and other locations this week. It recommended that parents and caregivers to sign in personalized and confidential health check-ins via text messages and web surveys for their children, in order to monitor the safety of the vaccines. With this, they can easily share with CDC how a child feels after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, read the official statement. (ANI)
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