CDC advisers vote to recommend Covid-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months – CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved Covid-19 vaccinations for children under 5 on Saturday, clearing the way for vaccinations to begin soon.

President Joe Biden praised the CDC’s decision to recommend the vaccines on Saturday, saying that they would provide protection for virtually every American.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices noted that the under-five vaccines will be available on vaccines.gov on Monday. Parents and caregivers can reach out to their child’s pediatrician or family practice doctor to ask if they have the vaccine.

The US Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorizations for two vaccines, making them both available to children under the age of 5.

Dr. Matthew Daley said Covid-19 is the leading cause of death among infectious diseases for people ages 0 to 19, and that the data shows that most deaths from Covid-19 are preventable through vaccination.

Dr. Veronica McNally said she was struck by the impact Covid-19 has had on children, and that parents are sometimes unclear about the long-term consequences.

Public health experts worry that parents will not take their kids to get the Covid-19 vaccine, citing how vitally important it is to protect children’s lives.

Dr. Dan Barouch said there are “striking” differences in how many adults are fully vaccinated compared with children and teens. He said the CDC has seen a relatively low uptake of Covid vaccines in children in the 5- to 12-year-old group.

The National Association of County and City Health Officials is planning a public health education campaign to encourage parents to vaccinate their children against Covid-19 as soon as a vaccine is available.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners both spoke out in support of a vote to recommend Covid-19 vaccines in children as young as six months. They also asked ACIP to stress the importance of vaccination in this age group.

The FDA has authorized the Moderna vaccine for infants and children 6 months through 5 years of age to be given two doses, and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for infants and children 6 months through 4 years of age to be given three doses.

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee determined that the benefits of both vaccines outweigh the risks.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths in children is concerning and much higher when compared with influenza-related deaths and hospitalizations.

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