Kids Under 5 May Soon Be Able To Receive COVID Vaccinations In MA

BOSTON — Children younger than 5 in Massachusetts could start getting their coronavirus vaccinations as soon as the end of February if the Food and Drug Administration approves an emergency authorization request expected to be filed Tuesday by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech.

If that happens, the two-shot vaccine regimen for children under 5 will be the first vaccine available to very young children, The Washington Post reported. Older children ages 5-12 can already be vaccinated.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was first authorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in children ages 5-12 on November 2, 2021, but statistics show the vaccination rate for school-aged children between 5 and 11 is still pretty low, leaving room to question how quickly parents will jump on the idea to vaccinate their toddlers.

In 112 cities and towns, the vaccination rate for school-age children between 5 and 11 is 33 percent and below, while in 155 communities, it's between 34 and 66 percent; and in only 74 communities is the vaccination rate at 67% and above, the Boston Globe reported last month.

Here are five things to know:

1. Third Dose Will Likely Be Needed

The early data on vaccines for younger children, who receive dosages that contain about one-tenth the amount of vaccine as adult shots, showed they were safe for that age group and produced an immune response. But when Pfizer said it was less effective at preventing COVID-19 in kids ages 2-5, regulators urged the company to add a third shot to the vaccine regimen, believing it would boost immunity as it does in adults, The Associated Press reported.

2. The FDA Reversed Course

Though it had encouraged Pfizer to develop a booster shot similar to the one authorized for other age groups, the FDA asked the company to submit its application for a two-dose regimen for approval this month.

3. Two-Step Process Speeds Up The Process

Pfizer could come back later and ask the FDA for another emergency authorization for the third dose if it’s supported by data. Approving the two-dose regimen now gets the shots into young children’s arms about a month sooner than previously estimated, assuming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention greenlights the shots.

4. Vaccinating Young Kids Gets Parents Back To Work

The Biden administration believes vaccinating children is critical to keeping schools and daycare centers open, therefore freeing up their parents to return to the workforce.

5. Vaccine Efforts Could Drop Mask Mandates

Vaccine efforts for children could lead to more schools becoming eligible to drop indoor mask mandates. Schools with 80% of students and staff being vaccinated can petition to drop the mandate.

At the end of January, Cohasset High School voted to drop its mask mandate, following Hopkinton High School - As of now mostly only high schools can reasonably reach the 80% vaccination rate to drop the mandate, but we could see that change as more children become vaccinated.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.