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Young Children Could Be Vaccinated In LA County As Soon As Tuesday
A sign at a vaccination booster shot clinic in San Rafael. Access has expanded significantly with the announcement that younger kids can start receiving the vaccine as soon as next week.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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Children ages 6 months to 5 years may be able to get vaccinated for the first time as soon as Tuesday in L.A. County.
On Saturday, the CDC gave its approval for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to children as young as 6 months. Previously, Pfizer was only approved for children aged 5 and up. This change also gives 5 to 17 year olds a second vaccine option.
That move followed Friday's FDA authorization both vaccines for those age groups.
The formula will remain the same, but will be given in smaller doses and will be spaced out differently than for older kids, teens, and adults.
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L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said unvaccinated children run the risk of falling seriously ill or developing long-term side effects.
"I do want to note that vaccinations and boosters offer all of us the best chance for minimizing the potentially devastating impacts of this pandemic,” Ferrer said.
In L.A. County, 65% of children diagnosed with MISC — a rare but serious condition caused by COVID-19 — are unvaccinated. More than 900 sites in the county are prepared for the expanded inoculation.
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