About 180,000 initial doses of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children should be available in Oregon by early next week.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization practices recommended the shot for kids ages 5 to 11 in a unanimous vote on Tuesday, after concluding that the benefits outweighed the risk.
Among the benefits of vaccination for the group cited were a reduction in hospitalizations and deaths for children in the 5 to 12 age group from COVID-19, a reduction in cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome, a rare and serious complication that can occur in children a few weeks after a COVID-19 infection, and less missed school for children and their communities.
Unlike children 12 and up, younger kids won’t get the exact same shot as adults. The approved pediatric version is a one-third strength dose and ships in vials with orange lids to distinguish it from the adult version with a purple lid.
The Oregon Health Authority is warning parents they might have to wait a few days before the vaccine is widely available.
About two-thirds of the pediatric doses coming to Oregon are being shipped directly to health care settings like pediatrician’s offices. The other third is going to pharmacies around the state.
According to OHA, the initial doses are going out to every county and every provider that requested the pediatric shots, and there will be additional shipments in the coming weeks.
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