SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Pediatricians across the state of Illinois have agreed to vaccinate kids ages five to 11 against COVID-19 once approved.
According to the office of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, more than 2,200 locations had signed up to administer vaccines by Monday, Oct. 25.
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will publicly debate the evidence in late October. This potentially paves the way for shots to be available for this young population as early as November.
Gov. Pritzker said parents should start by talking to their child's pediatrician.
“Thanks to scientists and doctors who’ve worked tirelessly for the last year, we are likely just days away from having the COVID-19 vaccine available for 1.1 million more Illinois children, ages 5 to 11,” said Pritzker. “As soon as the FDA and the CDC have signed off, these kid-sized doses and kid-sized needles will be shipped out to pharmacies, pediatricians and other providers across Illinois — and IDPH has reached out to every pediatrician in the state to enroll them in the vaccine distribution program. As a parent, you should call your pediatrician now to make sure they’ve enrolled and have ordered doses. And I will do everything in my power to continue to follow the science and keep our kids safe.”
Full-strength Pfizer shots already are authorized for anyone 12 or older, but pediatricians and many parents are anxiously awaiting protection for younger children to stem rising infections from the extra-contagious delta variant and help keep kids in school.
Watch the governor's full address here: