Wisconsin to Offer COVID-19 Vaccinations to Children Ages 5-11
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine deemed safe and effective for this age group
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announces that children 5-11 years old are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart for full protection, and is the first and only vaccine currently available for this age group.
Vaccinations for this age group will begin as soon as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases the associated clinical guidance and vaccinators are able to review and complete the necessary trainings. It is important that parents and guardians are patient as Wisconsin vaccinators take the necessary steps to be properly informed and trained before beginning vaccination.
After successful clinical trials and a rigorous review of all available data, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer’s request to expand the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include children ages 5-11 on October 29. On November 2, the CDC Director officially confirmed the vaccine is safe and recommended the vaccine to this age group.
“Our nation’s leading medical experts have reviewed the available data and confirmed that the Pfizer vaccine is safe for children 5 to 11 years of age,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “We will soon begin vaccinating more of Wisconsin’s children to protect them from the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 and reduce disruptions in and out of the classroom. We are urging parents and guardians to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can to protect them and those around them.”
Disease activity remains very high(link is external) across Wisconsin. Children and youth under 18 continue to represent the highest number of new confirmed cases compared to other age groups. COVID-19, particularly the Delta variant, can have a serious impact on your child’s health. Infection with the Delta variant has resulted in nearly three times the number of children in the hospital in the U.S. since early summer. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1,600 Wisconsinites under 20 years old have been hospitalized with COVID-19. Vaccination is a safe and critical tool in both combating further COVID-19 illness among children and stopping the spread in our communities.
844-684-1064 toll-free.
In addition to getting your child vaccinated, DHS urges Wisconsin families to take the steps necessary to protect themselves and their communities: mask up when in indoor public settings or outside where physical distancing is not possible, stay home if you are feeling sick, and get tested if you’re experiencing any symptoms or have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook(link is external), Twitter(link is external), or dhs.wi on Instagram(link is external) for more information on COVID-19.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
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- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Bi-Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Dec 9th, 2022
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