The Hawaii Department of Health is authorizing certified vaccination providers to administer Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5-11 immediately.
This authorization is consistent with recommendations made Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the DOH said in a news release.
“The CDC reviewed the clinical data and determined the vaccine is safe. The Pfizer vaccine is effective in preventing severe illness and death. The vaccine will provide another important layer of protection in keeping our children and the entire community safe,” state Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week issued emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine for children age 5-11.
The Pfizer vaccine dose for children age 5-11 is 10 micrograms, one-third the dose used for adults.
Shipments of the state’s initial order of 41,700 doses of vaccine for children began arriving Monday, according to the DOH.
Vaccination providers can begin administering the vaccines as soon as their deliveries arrive and their clinics are established.
Vaccinations for children will be available at more than 200 locations statewide, including medical facilities, community health centers, mobile clinics, pharmacies, pediatrician’s offices, and more than 130 public, private and charter schools.
Some participating schools will begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday, Nov. 8.
A majority of the school vaccination sites will be closed to the general public. Parents should contact their child’s school directly to see if and when their school will be offering vaccinations to students.
Information on where children’s vaccines are available will be updated regularly at https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine/.
DOH estimates there are 119,473 children age 5-11 living in Hawaii.
The state’s initial order of vaccine for children is enough to provide 35% of the estimated population with the first of two recommended vaccinations. The second vaccination should be administered three weeks after the first vaccination, or shortly thereafter.
Parents and legal guardians are required to submit signed consent forms before anyone 17 and younger can be vaccinated.