In U.S., Covid vaccines for kids have reached more than 360,000 under age 12

The Biden administration has said it has secured enough doses for every U.S. child between age 5 and 11, and it plans to ramp up distribution this week in pediatricians’ offices, pharmacies and school clinics.

November 9, 2021

More than 360,000 children under 12 in the United States have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,The Washington Post reports.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s pediatric coronavirus vaccine in 5-to-11-year-olds on Oct. 29, and the CDC recommended its use on Nov. 2.

Experts say they don’t expect most schools to mandate coronavirus vaccines for their students while the shots remain under emergency use authorization for children under 16. That could change next year, however, if the pediatric vaccine gains full regulatory approval, joining the ranks of other mainstream vaccines, such as measles, that states require students to receive to attend school.

While some states have laid the groundwork to mandate vaccines in children once the FDA and CDC give their full approval, others have taken steps to prevent school districts from doing so, as the broader battle over vaccine mandates continues to rage.