COVID Vaccine For Infants, Kids Under 5 In PA: When It Could Arrive

PENNSYLVANIA — Children younger than 5 in Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania is still touting the vaccine as its first line of defense against the virus, with leadership eschewing economic shutdowns or further mask mandates in the wake of the omicron variant fueled increase in cases.

That surge has since abated. And the vaccination rate for adults 18 and over is slowly inching over 75 percent, to 75.3 last week.

Still, health officials are on guard, and are looking forward to the arrival of the vaccine for this final group of young children.

"Although we are seeing a slight decrease in the seven-day moving average of COVID-19 cases, it is much too early to let down our guard,” Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter said in a statement. "What we have seen during previous surges is that hospitalizations remain high for a couple of weeks after case counts start to decline. That means that our frontline healthcare workers need our continued support and a commitment to get vaccinated, get boosted, wear masks in public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status and get tested when appropriate.”

Here are four things to know about the coming vaccine for infants and young children:

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 day care centers open, therefore freeing up their parents to return to the workforce.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.