One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
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.
(
Justin Sullivan
/
Getty Images
)
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.
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.
Sponsored message
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.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
