Washington State Preparing To Vaccinate Younger Children

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Kid-sized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the state next week ahead of the expected final approval of the shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

The state has requested 230,000 doses to be delivered to providers next week, and an additional 86,000 was expected to arrive at pharmacies through the federal pharmacy program.

On Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed the shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days.

If authorized by the FDA, next week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

There are nearly 680,000 kids in the 5-11 age group in Washington state.