RI Could Vaccinate Younger Children Within A Month

Children as young as age 5 may start getting vaccinated within a month, the federal government recently told state leaders.

NBC cited a White House official who said the White House recently told governors to prepare vaccination efforts for children between 5-11 by early November.

Tom McCarthy, the executive director of the state's vaccine program, said previously that the Department of Health was "watching closely" for full approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Once approval comes, the vaccination effort for kids will be centered around schools, McCarthy said, since school clinics have been very successful so far.

The FDA has an Oct. 26 meeting to discuss Pfizer and BioNTech's request for emergency use authorization for vaccines specifically made for children ages 5-11. The dosage and dilution requirements are different from the vaccines in use for the rest of the population.

NBC reported the Biden administration purchased enough doses to inoculate all the children who would become eligible if Pfizer and BioNTech's request is approved.