NORFOLK — Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) has released information regarding the expansion of eligibility for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The pediatric hospital system is currently coordinating the purchase as well as distribution of vaccines to primary care pediatric practices that are part of the CHKD Medical Group.
The hospital system expects to receive a limited shipment by the week of May 17. Availability will be posted on CHKD.org upon arrival.
RELATED STORY: State-run Vaccine Centers to Start Offering Doses to Adolescents
CHKD physicians strongly encourage that all eligible children receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Parents or guardians who have any questions in the mean time are advised to call their child’s pediatrician’s office.
On Wednesday, May 12, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced that providers throughout the Commonwealth could begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents, aged 12-15 years old. The announcement was issued after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the vaccine’s eligibility and subsequent approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
RELATED STORY: COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for 12 and Older
In the run up to the authorization, the FDA conducted a random, placebo-controlled study of 2,260 participants between the ages of 12 and 15 to determine both the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. The study showed that the vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, but there was not sufficient data to determine if the vaccine prevented the transmission of the disease.
CATCH UP ON MORE FROM WYDAILY: