CDC officially recommends Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for children ages 5 to 11

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now officially recommends the Pfizer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, according to a CDC announcement released on Tuesday.

This comes after the Food and Drug Administration previously authorized emergency use of the vaccine at a smaller dose last week for this age group, with the dose being one-third of an adult COVID-19 vaccine, according to an article from NJ Advance Media. The vaccine will also be administered using a smaller needle specifically designed for children.

While children are at lower risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19, the CDC recommends vaccination to help protect them against contracting the virus and getting seriously ill as well as to help protect family members not eligible for vaccination or who may be at increased risk and help keep them safe in school and other group activities, according to the announcement.

“There are approximately 760,000 5 to 11-year-olds in New Jersey, so protecting them through vaccination helps us to further protect everyone,” said New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli in a COVID-19 press conference on Monday. “The clinical data they examined showed the vaccine is safe and 90.7 (percent) effective in preventing (COVID-19) in children between the ages 5 and 11.”

A total of more than 230 locations offering pediatric doses of the vaccine will be spread out throughout New Jersey’s 21 counties, with dozens of sites now taking appointments for children in this age group, according to the article. The state has so far ordered 203,800 pediatric doses.

The sites include 65 primary care practices, 40 independent pharmacies, 37 county and local sites, 35 acute care hospitals, 27 federally qualified health centers, 18 chain pharmacies and six other sites, including urgent care and university sites, and the Gloucester County mega-sites.

Rutgers will be one of the sites offering pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 starting as soon as next Wednesday, said Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor Brian L. Strom at a COVID-19 health briefing today, The Daily Targum reported.