Coronavirus: NYC will be ready to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds 24 hours after CDC approval, mayor says – SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York City-run vaccination sites will be ready to administer coronavirus (COVID-19) immunizations to children ages 5 to 11 in 24 hours after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives the green light, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

De Blasio said the city has received some of the 231,000 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines that will be used to inoculate school-aged children, adding that the remainder of the shipment is en route.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine to include 5- to 11-year-olds. An emergency use authorization is not approval of a vaccine. The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices must now formally vote to recommend the vaccine for that age group.

The second we have the [information] we will put it out, but were excited to be reaching the youngest New Yorkers, de Blasio said Tuesday.

The mayor added that two days after the CDC approval is given, vaccinations will be rolled out at independent pharmacies, non-city vaccination sites and local pediatrician offices.

When asked if parents should wait to take a child to a pediatrician or go to to a city-run site, the mayor said it depends on the child.

Some kids will be more sensitive than others, he said. But I would argue to get to the first available site, but if a parent wants to work with their own pediatrician then they should start reaching out and working on that now.

Mitchel Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health+Hospitals, said that those sites will have goodie bags to help younger children get excited for vaccinations.

Sometimes I think its more traumatic for us than it is for our kids, Katz quipped. Going to sites that are familiar to your child is a good step. After a few tears, there will be many more smiles.

Torian Easterling, first deputy commissioner and chief equity officer of the city Department of Health (DOH), said that his agency is continuing to work with local partners to provide resources and to ensure a smooth rollout across its infrastructure.

We have prepared some doses, but I think its important to remember how robust our infrastructure is. We are talking to pediatricians and independent pharmacies Its going to be important to continue to communicate and provide information. Any parent looking for info can call 311 or go on the vaccine-finder website, Easterling said.

He added that equity is a continued focus, and the city will be working with federally qualified health-care centers usually located in low-income neighborhoods to provide ultra-cold storage for the vaccines.

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Coronavirus: NYC will be ready to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds 24 hours after CDC approval, mayor says - SILive.com