San Francisco announces plan for vaccinating kids ages 5 to 11

San Francisco released its contingency plans Friday morning for how it will vaccinate children when the

Food and Drug Administration gives emergency use authorization to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11.

The city is following in the footsteps of Marin County, which announced a preliminary plan last week.

The city said in a statement that it will tap into the preexisting network of nearly 100 vaccination sites at doctor’s offices, clinics, schools, pharmacies and more to get shots into kids’ arms.

The anticipated authorization of the vaccine for kids comes after the FDA announced authorization of

Pfizer booster doses for individuals 65 years and older and other high-risk groups. San Francisco said in the statement it is prepared to start administering these but will prioritize those who need first and second shots. The city is encouraging people to reach out to their health care providers for information on getting boosters.

“We anticipate a capacity to administer 25,000 vaccine doses per week across these sites to collectively meet demand from eligible children, adults seeking first-time vaccination, and third-dose boosters for those who qualify,” the city said. “We must underscore that our highest priority will be to ensure access to first and second doses for all members of our community, including children ages 5-11 when they become eligible.”

While Marin County provided specific dates for mass vaccine sites geared to kids in anticipation of the Pfizer vaccine getting emergency approval next month, San Francisco didn’t name dates for large-scale events.

Marin County has tentatively scheduled vaccine events over three consecutive weekends: Oct. 30 and 31, Nov. 6 and 7 and Nov. 13 and 14. They’re also launching an education campaign.

“We know many parents will want to seek counsel from their pediatrician or family physician, so we are also working to build the capacity for family doctors to provide the COVID-19 vaccine in their offices,” Laine Hendricks, a spokesperson for the Marin County Department of Public Health, wrote in an email. “We are reaching out and meeting with pediatric practices to look at vaccine administration, refrigeration/storage, etc. In this sense, Marin County Public health would be a supplement to what pediatricians are offering.”

Hendricks added that the goal in Marin County is to administer a first dose to 75% of eligible children within one month of when the vaccine receives emergency authorization.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccine data for kids between ages 5 and 11 is coming soon and could be submitted to the FDA by the end of September, CNBC reported.

“Then, it is up to the FDA to take their time, and then make a decision,” Bourla said during an interview at Research America’s 2021 National Health Research Forum.