28 million eligible children are one step closer to being able to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA has approved Pfizer’s vaccine for kids 5-11.
“We are ready to go as soon as we get it in hand,” said CEO Mia Jones Agape Community Health.
Jones says as soon as the CDC gives the okay, which is expected on Tuesday, and they receive doses of the shot, they’re ready to administer to kids.
The plan currently is to have the Lane Wiley Senior center and the Clanzel T. Brown Community center be locations where parents can get their children ages 5 and up vaccinated, as well as some pop-up locations within schools.
“Where we would notify schools in the area, and then have the other schools come to that location,” said Jones.
Jones says the pop up locations will be events where parents would be able supervise their child getting the shot.
“There will either be a parent there or if the schools have worked with us, and we have sent out consent and they have been returned, we would be able to administer at that point,” said Jones.
In addition to community centers and pop-up locations, Dr. Jeffrey Goldhagen with the Division of Community and Societal Pediatrics says there is currently discussions between retailers like Publix and CVS along with pediatricians as to who exactly will give out the shots.
“We should have some idea mid-part of next week as part of elements of this system, probably not until the following week will we identify which physicians’ offices will be distributing the vaccine,” said Dr. Goldhagen.
Pfizer plans to begin shipping millions of vials of the pediatric vaccine — in orange caps to avoid mix-ups with the purple-capped doses for everyone else — to doctors’ offices, pharmacies and other vaccination sites. Once the CDC issues its ruling, eligible kids will get two shots, three weeks apart.