Vermont will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to children between the ages of 5 and 11 as soon as this week, pending a final federal decision, the Scott administration said Tuesday. Thousands of pediatric vaccine doses have already been shipped to the state in preparation for the expected approval as soon as Tuesday night, Gov. Phil Scott said. State health officials said they will open appointments for the children’s vaccinations at 8 a.m. after CDC final approval. “Vermont is ready,” Scott said. “This will be an enormous step forward and significant opportunity to protect as many people as possible.”The “kid-sized” shots — one-third of the dose of the adult version — will be available at state vaccine sites, in pharmacies and soon, at 112 school-based clinics, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith told reporters.Late Tuesday, one final hurdle remained in the approval process after an advisory committee with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on emergency use authorization of the Pfizer shot for children. The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, still needed to sign off on the plan. Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly voted in favor of giving Pfizer’s pediatric doses emergency use authorization last week. HEALTH EXPERTS URGE VACCINATIONSome of the state’s top health experts took the lectern Tuesday to express their strong support for parents to register their young children for a COVID-19 vaccine once available. “We unequivocally recommend this vaccine for every Vermont child who is age-eligible,” said Dr. Rebecca Bell, who serves as a pediatric critical care physician in Burlington.She added that vaccination stands as the “most reliable and safest way to achieve immunity.” Those comments were echoed by Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine. According to state data, children represent nearly one-quarter of Vermont’s total reported COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, though a large portion of those cases was among those ages 18 and 19. Eight children have been hospitalized with the disease and none have died, data shows. Experts recognized that some parents will have questions about the vaccination process for their children, and plan to offer an outlet through community forums featuring pediatricians from across the state. Five digital options are scheduled over the next month. DETAILS ON POSSIBLE ROLLOUTIs the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine designed for children the same as those being given to adults? Not exactly. The doses will be one-third of the dose offered for those age 12 and older. That amount was determined through trials to engage children’s — more robust — immune systems at similar levels of full doses for adults, according to Bell. During that process, young children also reported post-shot symptoms to exist, but be milder than those reported in older age groups. Bell added that there were “no cases of adverse events” related to the trial vaccinations. More than 23,000 of the pediatric doses have been packed in dry ice and shipped to Vermont thus far, with a majority being held for state distribution. More are likely to be ordered for the approximately 44,000 Vermont children in the new vaccination age group. Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said the state is focused on getting children both doses of the vaccine before winter break if possible. Children will be eligible to receive a second dose three weeks after their initial shot, the same waiting period recommended for adults. In addition to state-managed sites, the vaccines will be offered through local pharmacies and a coordinated rollout at schools. When available, appointment information can be found on the Department of Health website or by calling 855-722-7878.
Vermont will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to children between the ages of 5 and 11 as soon as this week, pending a final federal decision, the Scott administration said Tuesday.
Thousands of pediatric vaccine doses have already been shipped to the state in preparation for the expected approval as soon as Tuesday night, Gov. Phil Scott said.
Advertisement
State health officials said they will open appointments for the children’s vaccinations at 8 a.m. after CDC final approval.
“Vermont is ready,” Scott said. “This will be an enormous step forward and significant opportunity to protect as many people as possible.”
The “kid-sized” shots — one-third of the dose of the adult version — will be available at state vaccine sites, in pharmacies and soon, at 112 school-based clinics, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith told reporters.
Late Tuesday, one final hurdle remained in the approval process after an advisory committee with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on emergency use authorization of the Pfizer shot for children.
[View the CDC advisory panel live stream]
The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, still needed to sign off on the plan.
Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly voted in favor of giving Pfizer’s pediatric doses emergency use authorization last week.
HEALTH EXPERTS URGE VACCINATION
Some of the state’s top health experts took the lectern Tuesday to express their strong support for parents to register their young children for a COVID-19 vaccine once available.
“We [pediatricians] unequivocally recommend this vaccine for every Vermont child who is age-eligible,” said Dr. Rebecca Bell, who serves as a pediatric critical care physician in Burlington.
She added that vaccination stands as the “most reliable and safest way to achieve immunity.” Those comments were echoed by Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine.
According to state data, children represent nearly one-quarter of Vermont’s total reported COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, though a large portion of those cases was among those ages 18 and 19. Eight children have been hospitalized with the disease and none have died, data shows.
Experts recognized that some parents will have questions about the vaccination process for their children, and plan to offer an outlet through community forums featuring pediatricians from across the state. Five digital options are scheduled over the next month.
DETAILS ON POSSIBLE ROLLOUT
Is the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine designed for children the same as those being given to adults? Not exactly.
The doses will be one-third of the dose offered for those age 12 and older. That amount was determined through trials to engage children’s — more robust — immune systems at similar levels of full doses for adults, according to Bell.
During that process, young children also reported post-shot symptoms to exist, but be milder than those reported in older age groups. Bell added that there were “no cases of adverse events” related to the trial vaccinations.
More than 23,000 of the pediatric doses have been packed in dry ice and shipped to Vermont thus far, with a majority being held for state distribution. More are likely to be ordered for the approximately 44,000 Vermont children in the new vaccination age group.
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said the state is focused on getting children both doses of the vaccine before winter break if possible. Children will be eligible to receive a second dose three weeks after their initial shot, the same waiting period recommended for adults.
In addition to state-managed sites, the vaccines will be offered through local pharmacies and a coordinated rollout at schools.
When available, appointment information can be found on the Department of Health website or by calling 855-722-7878.
