On-Air Now
On-Air Now
Listen Live

White House Announces Vaccines for Children Ages Five to 11


WASHINGTON DC, October 21, 2021 ~ Wednesday, the White House announced that children ages five to 11 will soon be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at their pediatrician’s office, local pharmacies, and some will possibly even be able to get vaccinated at their school.

Over the next two weeks, federal regulators — along with independent advisors — will meet to weigh the benefits of giving shots to kids following studies to ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have an advisory meeting scheduled for the first week of November, where the vaccines are expected to be approved for use in children. Within hours of the approval, doses will be shipped nationwide, along with smaller needles needed for young children.

We know millions of parents have been waiting for COVID-19 vaccine for kids in this age group,” said White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients. “And should the FDA and CDC authorize the vaccine, we will be ready to get shots in arms.”

They (CDC, FDA) may say ‘we want more safety data,’ or ‘we want more evidence that it really helps,” said Beaumont Health Director of Infectious Disease Research Dr. Matthew Sims. “Now, these studies in that age group … they aren’t the same as the original studies. They didn’t recruit 40,000 kids in that age group. They recruited a smaller number, and are looking to see … do they respond to the vaccine, how are their levels of side effects … things like that.”


October 21, 2021 ~ Beaumont Health Director of Infectious Disease Research Dr. Matthew Sims talks with Kevin Dietz about the latest COVID-19 vaccine news.

According to the Biden Administration, the vaccines for children will not face the same scarcity issues as the adult-approved vaccines 10 months earlier. The Pfizer shot is now in ample enough supply to vaccinate the roughly 28 million children who could become eligible in the coming weeks.

Additionally, the vaccine can now survive at refrigerator temperatures for up to 10 weeks — a massive increase from the previous life of only five days once thawed and diluted