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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The next phase of the Massachusetts vaccine rollout is being drawn up.
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has submitted research on its COVID vaccine's safety for children ages 5 to 11 to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company expects to request an Emergency Use Authorization in a few weeks.
In response, the state is sending surveys to local boards of health, primary care practices and health care providers to gauge their capacity and ability to start giving out the shots to those 5 through 11.
Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said the state is building the platform that was put in place for when adolescents 12 to 17 were given the green light — adding she expects parents would want to reach out to trusted sources, like their child’s pediatrician or primary care doctor.
This as the European Union's drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency, announced Monday morning that it would recommend Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots for all citizens ages 18 and older.
As of Friday, 77% of those eligible in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated, with 88% receiving at least one dose of a vaccine.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports:
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