The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved emergency-use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds Tuesday after its immunization advisory committee, an independent group of experts, voted 14-0 to approve it.
The recommendation was approved a couple of hours later by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
“We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine,” Walensky said.
The vaccine will be available to Kentucky children today.
Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday that the state will be ready to provide vaccinations to one-third of 5- to 11-year-olds today, and half of them within the first week of availability. He said the vaccine will largely be available in the same places that the adult vaccine is available.
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll taken Oct. 21 found that about three in 10 parents of 5-to-11-year-olds (27%) said they will get their child vaccinated “right away” while one-third (33%) said they will “wait and see” how the vaccine is working. Three in 10 parents said they would “definitely not” get their children the shot, and 5% said they would “only if required.”
An unscientific Lexington Herald-Leader poll that included 1,824 participants as of Nov. 2 found that 77% of the respondents said they would not get the vaccine for their 5-to-11-year-olds; 21% said they would; and 2 % were undecided. While such polls are self-selected, depending on the motivation to participate, this one may confirm a reluctance in Kentucky like that in the rest of the nation.
Kentucky Health News
