On Monday, state public health officials began allowing Alaskan parents to apply for reservations for the COVID-19 vaccine for children over the age of 12. This starts as early as Wednesday.
The movement is Monday decision The US Food and Drug Administration has granted the drug company Pfizer an emergency use authorization to use the new vaccine for people between the ages of 12 and 15.
The CDC’s Federal Advisory Board will review data from the FDA and make final recommendations early Wednesday, Alaska’s Chief Health Officer Dr. Ann Zink called a reporter. Stated. The CDC will then provide their recommendations on Wednesday as well.
“We anticipate that they are likely to recommend this vaccine to people between the ages of 12 and 15,” Zink said.
With these final approvals, Alaskan vaccine providers will probably get a green light to start vaccination of children over the age of 12 late Wednesday afternoon. This is why Wednesday is the first day we can book.
“We are ecstatic that we have an emergency use authorization and can protect more Alaska from COVID-19,” Zink said. “Children tend to be very successful with COVID, but they tend to be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. Still, children get sick and see hospitalization and spread the infection to adults. I know I can do it, “she said.
Pfizer’s vaccine has already been approved for young people aged 16 in the United States and Alaska, and Canada recently first expanded its use to over 12 years of age.
Many parents, school administrators, and public health authorities around the world have been eagerly awaiting approval to make shots available to more children.
“This is a really important step forward in our ability to protect children from COVID-19,” Alaska state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin said in a phone call with a reporter Monday.
To date, 23 children under the age of 16 have been hospitalized for COVID-19 in Alaska, and at least eight have developed severe inflammatory syndrome after a recent COVID-19 infection. Recent reports From state health authorities.
The federal government’s decision is based on the FDA’s assessment that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for young people, based on trials conducted in more than 2,000 children between the ages of 12 and 15.
During the study, no cases of COVID-19 occurred in the vaccinated group of 1,131 children, but 18 of the 1,129 children in the placebo group tested positive for the virus.
There are more than 40,000 Alaskans between the ages of 12 and 15 in the state. Authorities say the state has enough Pfizer vaccine for them, but they still don’t know what the intake will be.
“We have plenty of Pfizer vaccine in stock and we anticipate this move and are excited Wednesday afternoon,” said Zink.
She added that the state is currently updating its vaccine scheduling site to reflect the changes.
Parents can now visit the following sites to start scheduling vaccine reservations for children after Wednesday. covidvax.alaska.gov Or call 907-646-3322.
Parents need to make sure that the Pfizer vaccine is available at the clinic of their choice, as the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine approved for use in children.
Many pediatricians and clinics can also provide vaccines to their children, and parents can contact their child’s doctor to see if it is an option.
