Hey, Curious305: When will COVID vaccines for kids be available in Florida?
Editor’s Note: This article was inspired by a question submitted by a Miami Herald reader on Twitter through Curious305, our community-powered reporting series that solicits questions from readers about Miami-Dade, Broward, the Florida Keys and the rest of the Sunshine State. Submit your question here or scroll down to fill out our form.
Hey, Curious305: Any news on when the FDA will make a decision on Pfizer for 12- to 15-year-olds?
When will kids ages 12 to 15 be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida?
Possibly next week.
A federal official familiar with the agency’s plans told the New York Times that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s vaccine for kids in this age group later this week or early next week.
If it’s approved, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory committee would then meet to discuss Pfizer’s clinical trial data. The committee advises CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, who will then decide whether or not to recommend the vaccine for kids.
Pfizer on Tuesday also announced plans to file for full U.S. approval of its COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May. If the FDA signs off, the company could market the vaccine directly to customers.
The news comes a month after Pfizer asked the FDA to amend its emergency-use authorization to include kids 12 to 15. Currently, the two-dose vaccine can be given to people 16 and older. The drugmaker in March released clinical trial data showing the vaccine to be safe and effective in people 12 to 15.
FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock last month said Pfizer’s request would be reviewed “expeditiously,” though she didn’t give a timeline for a decision. Walensky, the CDC director, said she expected some kids to be eligible for vaccinations by mid-May.
Where would kids get COVID-19 vaccine in Florida?
If the FDA authorizes Pfizer’s vaccine for kids as young as 12, families will be able to schedule an appointment online for kids and teens 12 to 18 through Jackson Health System, Miami-Dade County’s public hospital network, which will temporarily give the shots to kids until other sites are up and running.
Other vaccination sites across Florida that carry Pfizer would also likely expand access shortly after approval — and many don’t require appointments.
They would include select pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens and state-run sites including Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and Tree Tops Park in Davie. Miami-Dade County-run sites Tropical Park and Zoo Miami, which sometimes have Pfizer in stock, would follow.
Other South Florida hospitals, such as Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, which is part of Memorial Healthcare System, are still discussing plans for child vaccination.
Regardless of where a child gets a shot in Florida, proof of age will be required. This could be a state-issued ID, a birth certificate or current passport. Kids and teens under 18 will need to have their parent or legal guardian with them at the vaccination to sign a consent form. Some sites may also allow the parent or legal guardian to confirm the child’s age if they don’t have the necessary documents readily available.
The two other COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States — Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are for people 18 and older. Both are testing vaccines in adolescents.
Moderna is testing its vaccine in kids as young as 6 months and expects to ask the FDA later this year to amend its emergency-use authorization to include infants and children, according to The Associated Press. Pfizer is expected to submit another request to the FDA later this year for kids ages 2 to 11.
This story was originally published May 5, 2021 at 7:21 AM.
