Vaccination of 5- to 11-Year-Olds Against COVID-19 Isn’t Just Approved—It’s Urgent

At this point, you’ve probably heard that the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children 5- to 11-years-old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer pediatric vaccine. What may be news is the sense of urgency the CDC is exhibiting in sharing the news, with the agency suggesting in a statement that healthcare providers “begin vaccinating them as soon as possible.” While the perception of the public (and some public officials) has been that children are not affected by the virus at all, the fact is that they are merely at lower risk for many of the complications and morbidity seen in adults. Even so, the fact remains that COVID-19 was among the top 10 causes of deaths in children between the ages of 5 and 11 years in 2020. And, as adult cases have dropped, children of all ages make up a greater share of new COVID-19 cases than ever before. Studies geared toward gaining approval for use in children under 5 years of age are ongoing.