The Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, which is yet to be approved by the FDA or CDC for children 5-11 years old, will be shipped in three waves to Texas pharmacies.
The program, referenced as a “pre-order prior to launch,” was announced by a Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) associate commissioner, Imelda Garcia. The pediatric version of the shot is also a two-dose vaccine, but in a smaller quantity than the adult version.
According to WFAA, 1.3 million doses will be shipped to participating providers, such as physicians or pharmacies. One hundred twenty counties in Texas will be receiving the first wave of doses, which numbers at around 400,000, the Dallas Morning News reported. Another 130 counties declined to file orders for the first round of shipments.
An estimated 3 million Texas children will be eligible for the vaccine once approved by the FDA and CDC.
Saroj Rai is an advisor to the Texas DSHS and told Dallas Morning News more details surrounding the pediatric shots. Each vile is approximately one-third of an adult dose. So far, no cases of myocarditis or pericarditis have been documented. Rai did warn that mild side effects such as headaches and fatigue may be experienced after the injection.
Imelda Garcia is also the chairman of Texas’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel. She told reporters that she would be vaccinating her child and that “it’s not only for my daughter’s health and safety. Vaccinating her protects our extended [loved] ones.”
The pre-order system allows providers in Texas to “place vaccine orders before the FDA authorization, and before the CDC recommendation process is complete,” Garcia states. The shipments no longer need to be kept in specialized ultra-cool fridges, which makes distribution simpler.
The CDC will meet to make the final decision on approval on November 2nd and 3rd.
