The FDA and CDC approve COVID 19 Vaccinations for Children Under Five

Welcome news from the Biden/Harris Administration.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have approved the use of appropriate dosages of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines for children under five years old.

On this move forward to ensure the safety of small children, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky stated:

“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.”   

In a statement from the White House, President Joe Biden relayed:

“…For parents all over the country, this is a day of relief and celebration. As the first country to protect our youngest children with COVID-19 vaccines, my Administration has been planning and preparing for this moment for months, effectively securing doses and offering safe and highly effective mRNA vaccines for all children as young as six months old.

We are ready to build on the progress of our historic vaccination program that has resulted in over 220 million Americans fully vaccinated, more than 100 million Americans boosted, and over 2 million American lives saved.

This coming week, parents will be able to start scheduling appointments at places like pediatricians’ offices, children’s hospitals, and pharmacies. Appointments will ramp up as more doses are shipped out, and in the coming weeks, every parent who wants a vaccine will be able to get one. As the vaccination program ramps up, Vaccines.gov will be live next week with vaccine availability and appointments increasing throughout the week.

These vaccines are safe, highly effective, and will give parents the peace of mind of knowing their child is protected from the worst outcomes of COVID-19. If you are a parent who wants to protect your child, I urge you to speak with your child’s pediatrician and make a plan to get your child vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available to you.”

With the Coronavirus still present and, in some areas around the nation and world, seeing infection levels rising, it is still important that everyone take the necessary precautions of getting vaccinated and boosted.

It does not guarantee not getting COVID 19 but it will mostly ensure the illness does not threaten anyone’s life or long term health.