With final authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 5 to 11 are now able to receive Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in Central Texas.
The CDC gave the green light for the vaccine to be offered to children in the new age group Nov. 2, following the FDA's decision to extend emergency use authorization for the vaccine to children age 5 and up. In making the decision, the organizations consulted the results of a clinical trial showing that Pfizer's vaccine is 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections among 5- to 11-year-olds and poses no serious health risks.
Because children ages 5-11 will receive a vaccine equivalent to one-third the dose of the adult version of the vaccine, providers must request the product specifically for that age group.
On Nov. 3, the Texas Department of State Health Services published a list of providers who would receive pediatric vaccine shipments in the course of the next week.
