The Biden administration has revealed plans to roll out COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11, a White House statement said on Wednesday.
"Today the Biden Administration is announcing a plan to ensure that, if a vaccine is authorized for children aged 5-11, it is quickly distributed and made conveniently and equitably available to families across the country.
The start of a vaccination program for children aged 5-11 will depend on the independent FDA and CDC process and timeline, but our planning efforts mean that we will be ready to begin getting shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation," read the statement.
According to the statement, the Biden Administration announced that it has secured enough shots to vaccinate all 28 million children who would become eligible if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends it.
"The Administration has procured enough vaccine to support vaccination for the country's 28 million children ages 5-11 years old. If authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 5-11 year olds will be a dose and formula specifically for this age group," read the statement.
The administration is also planning to make the vaccine available at hundreds of schools, clinics and community-based sites, as well as at children's hospitals.
"The Administration will make vaccination accessible and conveniently located to families across the country, including vaccination clinics at doctors' offices, hospitals, pharmacies, community health centers, and school- and community-based sites. Nationwide, more than 25,000 pediatric and primary care provider sites will provide vaccinations for children, in addition to tens of thousands of other provider locations that serve children, including pharmacies, children's hospitals, and community health centers," the statement said.
The Administration, in partnership with states and localities, will make vaccinations available at doctors' offices across the country. The Administration is launching a partnership with the Children's Hospital Association to work with over 100 children's hospital systems across the country to set up vaccination sites in November and through the end of the calendar year, said the statement.
The statement further stated that as part of the federal government's pharmacy program, tens of thousands of pharmacies across the country will offer the vaccine to their local communities.
The Administration will also work with states and local partners to make vaccination sites available at schools and other trusted community-based sites across the country.
"To ensure that parents have the information they need to make informed choices for their families, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will conduct a national public education campaign to reach parents and guardians with accurate and culturally-responsive information about the vaccine and the risks that COVID-19 poses to children," the statement added.
