Virginia Preps For Vaccine Authorization For Younger Ages In Fall

VIRGINIA — Virginia's state vaccination coordinator is anticipating FDA authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 and full FDA approval of a vaccine sometime in September.

Dr. Danny Avula and other Virginia Department of Health officials provided an update on the state's vaccination response and COVID-19 numbers in a Tuesday media call. The officials noted the impact of the delta variant on Virginia and highlighted vaccination as a means to address it.

Pfizer's vaccine is currently authorized for ages 12 and up, while Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's vaccines are authorized for ages 18 and older. As Pfizer and Moderna include ages 5 to 11 in their clinical trials, Avula noted VDH has worked with pediatricians to get them CDC approved to administer COVID-19 vaccines in anticipation of younger ages becoming eligible. He expects coordination between health departments and school systems on vaccinations to continue.

Makers of the three FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are eyeing full approval from the FDA. According to a blog post from GoodRX, the FDA could fully approve the Pfizer vaccine in September. Moderna is seeking an expedited review as it seeks full approval, while Johnson & Johnson could apply later in 2021.

Avula acknowledged the recent increase in places requiring vaccination due to the "overwhelming" data showing the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Gov. Ralph Northam will require state employees to show proof of vaccination by Sept. 1 or undergo weekly testing.

"I think when FDA moves to full licensure in the next few weeks, we will see even more of that, and vaccine requirements will be very commonplace throughout the country," said Avula.

With the daily rate of vaccinations declining since the spring, Avula said daily vaccinations are starting to rise again. He said Virginia's daily vaccination average reached a low around 11,000 and is now just below 14,000. The increase was attributed to concerns about the delta variant.

"I think the reality is that it is the impact of delta and the fact that this is a more contagious disease that it is causing cases to surge, hospitalizations to increase around the country, and that has put vaccinations back on the radar for many Virginians," said Avula.

He added, "COVID is not gonna go away after this delta variant, and we are gonna see likely future variants, and we are gonna need to learn how to live with this disease. Vaccination has to be the bedrock of that along with these other layers of prevention and mitigation."

Impact Of The Delta Variant

Dr. Lilian Peake, state epidemiologist at VDH outlined the concerns about the delta variant as Virginia's COVID-19 case rate has been increasing for a month. For cases with special testing done to identify variants in Virginia, 80 percent of those cases were found to involve the delta variant.

"This increase aligns with the delta variant becoming the dominant variant circulating in the United States and Virginia," said Peake.

Peake noted the delta variant spreads twice as easily as previous strains of the virus. She said the delta variant results in higher viral loads, meaning the amount of virus in the body is higher and makes it more likely to spread to others. More study is needed to determine if it causes more severe illness.

"Because the delta variant is more infectious, a higher percent of the community needs to be vaccinated to interrupt that spread from person to person," said Peake. "The vaccination rate in the U.S. and in Virginia isn't high enough yet to curb that spread."

Peake pointed to VDH data showing the large majority of people infected in Virginia now have not been vaccinated. The same trend is seen for COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. She said more people getting vaccinated will mean fewer people getting sick, hospitalized and dying.

Despite breakthrough cases being reported in fully vaccinated people, Peake said that doesn't mean vaccines aren't working.

"The vaccines do work for all of the variants that are circulating in the United States, including delta," said Peake. "Overall we are seeing the vaccines work extremely well in protecting people from being hospitalized and dying."