NYC ready to roll out tot vax plan: Adams
It’s nearly time for tots to get their shots.
Mayor Adams rolled out a plan Friday for administering coronavirus shots to kids younger than 5 — the last age group that has not been cleared for vaccinations in the U.S.
The plan, which comes ahead of this weekend’s expected go-ahead from the feds on pediatric jabs, focuses on distributing doses via doctor’s offices and 10 city-run vaccine hubs, Adams’ office said.
“I know how long parents” have been waiting for their youngest would have access to a COVID vaccine, “and as soon as that moment comes, I want them to know we will be ready,” Adams said.
“We are looking to make this process as seamless as possible for parents, which is why we’re preparing, through city sites and partnerships with trusted pediatricians, to vaccinate … our children as soon as this vaccine is ready and shipped.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Friday signed off on giving the Pfizer and Moderna shots to kids under 5. This weekend, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to take a final vote on the emergency authorization.
As long as the CDC panel gives the OK, as is expected, Adams’ office said, the city’s youngest should be able to get their first shots as early as Wednesday.
The 10 new vaccine hubs administering pediatric shots will be spread across the city — two in Manhattan, three in Queens, one in the Bronx, one on Staten Island and three in Brooklyn.
Starting Tuesday, parents and guardians can use the city’s COVID-19 Vaccine Finder app to make appointments for their children.
Additionally, the city Department of Health is urging parents to check in with their kids’ pediatricians this weekend to see if they will make vaccines available at their offices.
The expected rollout of pediatric vaccinations comes as COVID-19 infection rates are ticking down slightly in the city after weeks on the upswing.
It also comes on the heels of Adams last week lifting the school mask mandate for kids under 5, which was kept in place throughout the spring as youngsters were not eligible for vaccinations.