Almost immediately after the Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds in the United States, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced plans to begin vaccinating young people this week — once final federal guidance is received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This is an extraordinary development on our path back to normalcy — we now have nearly 300,000 more Minnesotans eligible to roll up their sleeves and get life-saving protection from this deadly disease,” Walz’s statement said. “We have been planning and preparing for this moment and are ready to begin vaccinating teens 12 and older.
The authorization caps weeks of anticipation among parents, who have been grappling with how to conduct their lives when only the adults in a household are immunized.
The FDA’s go-ahead is not the final hurdle.
“Final federal guidance is expected to be issued from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later this week following a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices scheduled for Wednesday,” according to the governor’s statement.
CDC MEETING
The committee will meet on an emergency basis on Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST (10 a.m. local time), with a vote projected after a discussion is held at 2:45 p.m. EST (1:45 p.m. local time), according to a draft agenda. The virtual meeting, which is scheduled to last until 5 p.m. EST, will be open to the public, a CDC spokesperson tells the Pioneer Press, and can be viewed at hhs.gov/live/live-1/index.html#13231.
Clinical trials have shown that children in this age group may safely receive the dose already available for adults.
“The Pfizer vaccine has gone through rigorous clinical trials on children in this age group and has proven to be a highly safe and effective preventative measure against the deadly coronavirus,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm in a statement on Monday. “Minnesota parents can feel confident in the science, medical experts, and federal guidelines expanding authorization to 12-to-15-year-olds, and I hope they get their children vaccinated as soon as possible. Every person who gets vaccinated helps us slow the spread of this disease and protect those who cannot get vaccinated.”
If the CDC committee votes to recommend Pfizer’s vaccine for adolescents — as it is expected to do — that decision then goes to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky for her signature.
“Once it’s a CDC recommendation we’ll be adding some information about adolescents vaccination online, as well as guidance for clinicians vaccinating adolescents,” said Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokesperson, in an email response to the Pioneer Press.
What does that mean for Minnesota kids in terms of the timeline for shots in arms?
“The state will announce when final vaccination recommendations are available for providers, and we expect parents can make appointments for vaccinations later this week,” Walz’s statement said on Monday.
President Joe Biden has said that about 20,000 pharmacies are ready to administer the vaccine to adolescents, and health officials in some states are already drawing up immunization campaigns targeted to youth.
“I am so excited to get our kids back to all the things they love this summer — playing with friends, swimming , camps, sports, walks and bike rides, activities, vacations, and more” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan in Monday’s statement. “And now, with the ability to get vaccinated, our teens 12 and older can have a significant level of extra protection to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. This is a great day for progress and I hope Minnesotans take advantage of this life-saving opportunity and get their shot as soon as possible.”
HOW TO GET THE PFIZER VACCINE IN MINNESOTA
There are a number of ways to get a Pfizer vaccine:
• Vaccine Connector: You can directly sign up for an appointment at one of the state Community Vaccination Program locations at VaccineConnector.mn.gov.
• Walk-ins for Minnesotans 12+ will be accepted at state community vaccination sites administering Pfizer vaccines in Bloomington (Mall of America), St. Paul (Roy Wilkins Auditorium), Lino Lakes and Oakdale.
• Vaccine Locator Map: You can use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for providers who are offering COVID-19 vaccine to Minnesotans ages 12 and older at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/.
• Vaccine Finder: You can also find COVID-19 vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, which allows you to filter by vaccine manufacturer and search for only Pfizer vaccine appointments.
• Health Care Provider: You can also contact your child’s primary health care provider, local public health department, or a local pharmacy.
This report includes material from wire services.
