RICHMOND, Va. – The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months, clearing the way for vaccinations to begin soon.
Saturday, advisers to the CDC voted unanimously in support of recommending the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months through 5 years and Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 years. The CDC director gave her final approval to the recommendation later that afternoon.
Recommended Videos
“With the CDC’s endorsement of the recommendation of its independent panel of advisers that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be safely administered to children 4 years of age and younger down to 6 months of age and the Moderna vaccine to children 5 years of age down to 6 months, one of the final fronts in the battle against COVID-19 has opened up,” said Virginia’s State Vaccination Coordinator and Director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization Christy Gray.
Because VDH has been planning for the expansion of vaccine eligibility and availability for several months, families will have many options for where to get their children a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination sites may include:
- Pediatric offices
- Family practice offices
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
- Retail pharmacies for children ages 3 years and older
- Local Health Departments
VDH would like to stress to parents that providers can choose which vaccine to offer to their patients. Some providers may choose to offer both vaccines, while others may decide only to offer one. Parents should follow up with their pediatrician or other healthcare provider for specific information about the vaccines they’ll be offering.
“VDH is excited that parents have this opportunity and are empowered to protect their youngest children against this virus,” said Gray.