Nearly 1 Million Kids Get Covid Vaccine In First Week Of Rollout, White House Says

Topline

Approximately 900,000 children ages five to 11 will have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, the White House said, according to multiple outlets, suggesting early success of the kids’ vaccine rollout after the Pfizer/BioNTech shot was approved for them last week—though vaccine hesitancy remains a concern.

Key Facts

Big Number

28 million. That’s the total number of five- to 11-year-olds in the U.S. who are now eligible for vaccination, according to the White House, with the 900,000 already vaccinated making up approximately 3% of that population.

What We Don’t Know

How many children will ultimately get the shot. Polling suggests vaccine hesitancy could be a big obstacle for getting kids vaccinated, with a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll conducted in October finding 30% of parents of children ages 5-11 will “definitely not” vaccinate their child, 5% will only do so if required and 33% plan to “wait and see.” The White House has planned an aggressive public education campaign in order to combat reluctance to the shot and inspire more children to get vaccinated, including partnering with pediatricians, who polling suggests parents are most likely to trust for vaccine information. Schools may also be more likely to impose Covid-19 vaccine mandates for students now that they’re eligible, particularly if vaccinations lag, which could inspire more children to get the shot.

Key Background

The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for five- to 11-year-olds last week, allowing children to start getting the shot as early as November 3. Trial data shows the shots, which are a lower dose than those given to adults, are safe and 90.7% effective at preventing Covid-19, with a similar immune response to what’s seen in those ages 16-25. While data shows Covid-19 has largely been less serious in children than adults, hospitalization, death, and enduring symptoms known as “long Covid” are possible. Children have also made up a greater share of the country’s Covid-19 cases as the vaccination rate among adults has gone up, and child vaccinations became a greater priority amid the recent surge of the delta variant, which resulted in a number of Covid-19 outbreaks in schools and a rise in child hospitalizations.

Further Reading

White House: About 900,000 kids got virus shots in 1st week (Associated Press)

Here’s How The White House Plans To Distribute Children’s Covid Vaccines (Forbes)

Kids Ages 5-11 Are Now Eligible For Covid Vaccines—But Polls Suggest Many Parents Won’t Let Their Child Get The Shot (Forbes)

CDC Director Recommends Pfizer Vaccine For Kids Ages 5 To 11 (Forbes)

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