Nearly 18 months after the first Americans were authorized to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in a non-clinical setting, the White House is planning on distributing vaccines to young children.
White House COVID-19 response leaders are holding a news conference Thursday to outline its steps toward getting young children vaccinated.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have submitted applications to distribute their vaccines for children under age 5. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine comes in a three-shot series, while the Moderna vaccine comes in two shots.
The White House said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are concluding their reviews of data suggesting low-dose vaccines are safe and effective for young children. The Biden administration said authorization could come as early as the week of June 20.
The administration said it has 10 million low-dose COVID-19 vaccines ready to be distributed throughout the U.S. The White House said vaccines would be available at places from children’s hospitals to local pharmacies.
Nearly 18 million children are yet to be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.
Overall, 70.9% of Americans ages 5 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with the highest percentage of those vaccinated being seniors. According to CDC data, more than 91 percent of those ages 65 and over are fully vaccinated.
Eligible children, on the other hand, have been lagging with vaccination rates. Just 29.2% of children ages 5-11 are fully vaccinated.