Kids Under 5 Could Soon Be Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccines In MD

MARYLAND — Children younger than 5 in Maryland 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.

On Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that Maryland’s COVID-19 positivity rate had dropped below 10 percent, as the state continues to report substantial declines in key health metrics.

“For the second straight day, our positivity rate is in single digits, another sign of the encouraging progress we are making,” Gov. Hogan said. “While we are emerging from the Omicron wave faster than just about any state, we continue to urge Marylanders to take precautions, and most importantly, get a booster shot.”

According to the governor, Maryland is reporting the country’s 5th lowest positivity rate. The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations have also declined by more than 50 percent to 1,716, and continue to decline at the fastest rate in the United States.

As of Tuesday, the state has administered more than 11 million COVID-19 vaccinations, including more than 2 million COVID-19 booster shots, and 94.6 percent of Maryland adults have received at least one dose.

Thinking about getting your child vaccinated? 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 day care centers open, therefore freeing up their parents to return to the workforce.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.