Director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, in English), Rochelle Valensky gave today, Saturday, the final authorization for the emergency use of vaccines against COVID-19 developed by Pfizer and Moderna to vaccinate minors from the age of 6 months, hours later . The advisors of that institution gave their support unanimously.
This population group – under the age of 5 – was the only one to date that was not covered by the use of these drugs to prevent health complications from the coronavirus.
“For the first time, almost all Americans can access the protection of these life-saving vaccines, from the youngest to the oldest,” the president said. Joe Biden in a row.
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA, in English) yesterday approved the emergency use of vaccines, but lacked the approval of the CDC, which always has the final determination and, furthermore, broke down recommendations for the vaccination process.
The US government is preparing to launch injections early next week, ordering doctors, hospitals and community health clinics across the country to distribute millions of doses.
The health department at the local level said yesterday that it is also ready to start immunizing minors from next week. The agency highlighted that more than 106,000 Puerto Rican children between the above ages are eligible to receive the vaccine.
About 18 million children will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will eventually receive the vaccine. Less than a third of children aged 5 to 11 have done so since vaccinations opened for them last November.
