BOZEMAN - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Granted emergency use authorization to the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11 years old. Now Gallatin City-County Health Department and Bozeman Health are preparing for another vaccine rollout.
“While the FDA has approved that emergency use authorization,it will be reviewed by the CDC in an upcoming meeting,” says Caryl Perdaems, Bozeman Health System Director of Primary Care Facilities.
The Center for Disease Control still has an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) they have yet to decide how the rollout will play out, but once that decision is made vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 could be available as soon as Nov. 4th if the ACIP approve the vaccine. Once approved Bozeman Health and The Gallatin City-County Health Dept. say they are
“Bozeman Health and Gallatin County will continue to partner and are poised to start the rollout the next day,” says Perdaems.
As a new group becomes eligible for the vaccine the hope is that this helps protect the younger population as well as the population that has had access to vaccines for months.
“The hope is that it will also help to decrease the transmission within the community,” says Katie D’Ardenne, Pediatrician at the Belgrade Clinic.
Gallatin City-County Health Department and Bozeman Health say they are working to make sure that parents feel at ease if they decide to get their child vaccinated.
“We want parents to feel confident that they are getting it in a safe manner for their kiddos,” says Perdaems.
As more post-covid problems have been seen in children, officials say that the vaccine will help lower those risks.
“I stress that while covid is very mild in children it can be more severe and if we have an opportunity to prevent those infections it's going to be more beneficial for the child and the community as a whole,” says D’Ardenne.
The Pfizer vaccine is one-third of the amount that adults receive but they are still being administered separately from vaccines in order to keep children safe. Once the vaccine becomes available Bozeman Health says that children will be able to get the vaccine at entrance 1 at Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital.
Health officials remind parents if they have questions regarding the new vaccine they are encouraged to ask their health provider.
RELATED:
Montana COVID-19 update: 1,137 new cases (Nov. 1)
Global death toll from COVID-19 pandemic surpasses 5 million
FDA issues emergency approval Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as 5
Vaccine offers more protection against COVID-19 than natural immunity, CDC study finds