ARTICLE
TO: Hospital Executives and Emergency Management Personnel FROM: John Wilgis, Vice President, Member and Corporate Services CC: Mary C. Mayhew, President and CEO SUBJECT: Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Use in Children DATE: November 3, 2021 On November 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine. The CDC decision covers about about 28 million children in the United States in this age group and allows providers to begin vaccinating them as soon as possible. Distribution of pediatric vaccinations across the country started this week, with plans to scale up to full capacity starting the week of November 8. Vaccines will be available at thousands of pediatric healthcare provider offices, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and more. The Florida Hospital Association (FHA) reached out to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) for additional allocation and distribution information. The FDOH responded that they anticipate the immunization program, and the Division of Medical Quality Assurance will notify providers with the ACIP guidance and details on how a provider may order vaccine for children. FDOH also indicated they expect providers will follow normal Florida Shots Vaccine for Children ordering practices for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. FDOH anticipates vaccine will be available for ordering by November 9. Providers can direct enrollment or vaccine questions to the immunization help desk at 1-(877) 888-7468. On October 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include children 5 through 11 years of age. Key points for parents and caregivers include: Effectiveness: Immune responses of children 5 through 11 years of age were comparable to those of individuals 16 through 25 years of age. In addition, the vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11. Safety: The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children age 5 through 11 who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children 5 through 11 years of age is administered as a two-dose primary series, 3 weeks apart, but is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms). The FDA has determined this Pfizer vaccine has met the criteria for emergency use authorization. Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, the known and potential benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in individuals down to 5 years of age outweigh the known and potential risks. FHA continues to monitor the issue and will provide more information as it becomes available. [[UNSUBSCRIBELINK]] from all FHA e-communications. 306 East College Avenue | Tallahassee, FL 32301 | Website
[[UNSUBSCRIBELINK]] from all FHA e-communications. 306 East College Avenue | Tallahassee, FL 32301 | Website