Will FDA Grant Emergency Authorization To Pfizer For Age 5 And Under Vaccines In Georgia?

GEORGIA — Children younger than 5 in Georgia 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 Georgia Department of Public Health’s seven-day moving average of cases among children ages 1 to 4 was 380 as of Jan. 31. For children ages 5 to 9, that same average was 672.5, and for infants younger than 1, the average was 117.8.

To date, four children under the age of five have dined in Georgia from some form of COVID-19, and five between the ages of 5 and 9, according to the Department of Public Health.

On Monday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp talked about keeping kids in school during the pandemic after he toured the Alliance Academy for Innovation in Cumming.

One of the hardest parts of the pandemic for Kemp was making decisions for the state while not interrupting local control.

"I've had a lot of people that wanted me to make lateral decisions during the pandemic, which I didn't do without great thought and consternation, and I did it in a limited way," Kemp said. "The school systems are so different, even in Forsyth, the schools within Forsyth are different. I think the approach we've taken has been a good one. But it's important to realize that you have good, local elected school board members that are making these decisions, and that as parents and people in the community you have to be engaged with what's going on."

Here are four 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.

Related: Gov. Kemp Talks CRT, Banned Books, Digital Learning At School

The Associated Press contributed reporting.