The Food and Drug administration has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 for young children between the ages a 5 and 11 years old. On Tuesday, November 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is expected to meet and make its recommendations. The final step in authorization will be approval from the CDC director.
Once approved, the vaccine will be shipped out. Washington, D.C., is expected to initially receive 24,600 doses that will be distributed to pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers across D.C. The pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech is also a two-dose vaccine, DC Health said in a press release.
To provide additional opportunities for access, families will also be able to go to District operated pop-up sites set up specifically for 5-11 year olds. Families will be given more details about the second dose after their first dose. The COVID-19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds will not be immediately available at the District’s Take the Shot sites, health officials said.
Vaccines will initially be available at select community pharmacies such as CVS, Giant, Grubb’s, Safeway, Walgreens and Walmart, as well as health clinics throughout the community. Children’s National Hospital has already announced that in addition to offering the COVID-19 vaccine to their pediatric patients at their eight primary care locations, they will also be offering the vaccine via their Mobile Unit throughout the community.
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Pop-up clinics will begin November 8. A full schedule for the first two weeks of pop-up clinics can be found here.
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