NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a matter of weeks, a COVID-19 vaccine may be approved and ready for children.
An FDA group is set to consider Pfizer's vaccine for younger kids in about 12 days.
The White House spokesperson said if it passes that panel and the CDC panel on November 2, then the shot can start going out to kids almost immediately.
There are still some parents skeptical about giving the shot to their child.
According to a survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics, out of the more than 1,700 parents questioned on the likelihood of their kids getting the vaccine, (1,745) 28% said they were very likely and 18% said they were somewhat likely- while 33% were very unlikely and 21% were either somewhat unlikely or unsure.
If this Pfizer vaccine is authorized, it would be the first COVID-19 vaccine available for younger children.
According to Pfizer, the trials included more than 4,500 kids ages 6 months – 11 years, twice the number of people that were involved in teen vaccination trails. They were also given a lower dose than adults- 10 micrograms instead of 30 to ensure health and safety
Dr. Ian Kaminsky has taken part in nearly 100 medical trials and says the process is rigorous as it involves months, if not years, of permits and qualification checks.
The difference in the COVID vaccine, Dr. Kaminsky says, is that it involves mRNA, something that’s been researched for the better part of the last two decades.
Rachel Brewer said she’s trusts the science.
“This is like any other medical process and very much what we learn in medical school about how to navigate that safely whether it’s a vaccine, or medicine, or brace, or orthotic. There are so many things we think about how to make safe, and this is just the exact same process as every one of them,” Brewer explained.
Moderna and J&J are still working on their pediatric trials of the vaccine.
Meharry and Vanderbilt are two hospitals that hosted vaccine trials for kids in Nashville.
