FDA panel recommends Pfizer's low-dose Covid vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11
Source: CNBC
A key Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Tuesday recommended a lower dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, a critical step in getting some 28 million more kids in the U.S. protected against the virus as the delta variant spreads. The endorsement - by the agency's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee - will now be considered by the FDA, which could issue a final decision within days.
The agency doesn't always follow the advice of its independent committee, but it often does. Next week, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory group is expected to make its own recommendation. If it issues an endorsement and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signs off, shots for young kids could begin immediately.
The Biden administration said it plans to distribute the doses as soon as it's authorized by the FDA and CDC, which is expected to come early next month. The administration said it's procured enough vaccine to inoculate all 28 million 5- to 11-year-olds in the U.S., and will distribute it in smaller dosing and with smaller needles to make it easier for pediatricians and pharmacists to administer to kids.
Many parents say they are anxiously awaiting the vaccine's authorization with schools now open across the U.S. and the delta variant driving a surge in children's cases. Children ages 5 to 11 account for roughly 9% of all reported Covid cases in the U.S., according to data presented to the committee by the FDA on Tuesday. The number of new Covid cases in kids remains exceptionally high, with more than 1.1 million child cases added over the past six weeks, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/26/fda-panel-recommends-pfizers-low-dose-covid-vaccine-for-kids-ages-5-to-11.html
17 "yes" - 1 "abstention".
ETA - this now goes to FDA's Acting Commissioner for final sign off and then on to CDC's ACIP, who has a meeting scheduled to discuss this on November 2nd - 3rd. If that Committee approves and the CDC Director signs off, then the EUA will be granted.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Ty!
MIRT reunion in here at the moment... or something. 
Now for the distribution. I'm hoping the majority of kids get it before Thanksgiving.
Thanks for the post! 
