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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued operational planning information to prepare jurisdictions for the eventual distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines to the pediatric population.
The document provides information on what is currently known about COVID-19 vaccines for children under age 12, including packaging and storage information for the Pfizer pediatric vaccine currently under consideration for emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The document also provides information on certain assumptions about the next steps for vaccine distribution, including that ordering for pediatric vaccines will begin once FDA issues the EUA, and vaccine administration will begin once the CDC Director makes a recommendation based on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations.
It also assumes that not all COVID-19 vaccination sites will need to receive pediatric vaccines. Rather, vaccination providers that are most likely to vaccinate pediatric populations will be prioritized for initial dose availability, with provider types likely varying across communities.