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Saturday 18 June 2022
Continued from Front said. During a recent phar-
The FDA also authorized macy stop, Omofoye said
Moderna's vaccines for her daughter stared and
school-aged children and walked around like it was
teens; CDC's review is next Disneyland, and thanked
week. Pfizer's shots had her.
been the only option for "My heart broke in that
those age groups. moment, which is why my
For weeks, the Biden ad- heart is so elated now,"
ministration has been pre- Omofoye said.
paring to roll out the vac- But will other parents be as
cines for little kids, with eager to get their young-
states, tribes, community est vaccinated? By some
health centers and phar- estimates, three-quarters
macies preordering millions of all U.S. children have al-
of doses. With FDA's emer- ready been infected. And
gency use authorization, only about 30% of children
manufacturers can begin aged 5 to 11 have gotten
shipping vaccine across vaccinated since Pfizer's
the country. The shots are shots opened to them last
expected to start early next November.
week but it's not clear how The FDA officials acknowl-
popular they will be. edged those low rates and
Without protection for their Syringes and colorful bandages are prepared as children from local schools prepare to get CO- said the government is
tots, some families had put VID-19 vaccines in Pittsfield, Mass., on Monday Dec. 13, 2021. committed to getting more
off birthday parties, vaca- Associated Press older kids vaccinated and
tions and visits with grand- having better success with
parents. Commissioner Robert Califf er than waiting until fall, after the second shot, for younger kids.
"Today is a day of huge re- said in a statement. when a different virus vari- children who have immune "It's a real tragedy, when
lief for parents and families In testing, the littlest chil- ant might be circulating. conditions that make them you have something free
across America," President dren developed high levels He said adjustments in the more vulnerable to serious with so few side effects that
Joe Biden said in a state- of virus-fighting antibod- vaccines would be made illness. prevents deaths and hospi-
ment. ies, comparable to what is to account for that. Both vaccines are for chil- talization,'' Califf said.
While young children gen- seen in young adults, the "Whatever vaccine your dren as young as 6 months. Roughly 440 children under
erally don't get as sick from FDA said. Moderna's vac- health care provider, pe- Moderna next plans to age 5 have died from CO-
COVID-19 as older kids cine was about 40% to 50% diatrician has, that's what I study its shots for babies as VID-19, federal data show.
and adults, their hospital- effective at preventing in- would give my child,'' Marks young as 3 months. Pfizer Dr. Beth Ebel of the Univer-
izations surged during the fections but there were too said. has not finalized plans for sity of Washington School
omicron wave and FDA's few cases during Pfizer's The two brands use the shots in younger infants. A of Medicine in Seattle,
advisers determined that study to give a reliable, ex- same technology but there dozen countries, including said the tot-sized vaccines
benefits from vaccination act estimate of effective- are differences. China, already vaccinate would be especially wel-
outweighed the minimal ness, the agency said. Pfizer's vaccine for kids kids under 5, with other comed by parents with
risks. Studies from Moderna "Both of these vaccines younger than 5 is one-tenth brands. children in day care where
and Pfizer showed side ef- have been authorized with of the adult dose. Three Immediately upon hearing outbreaks can sideline par-
fects, including fever and science and safety at the shots are needed: the first of the FDA's decision, Dr. ents from jobs, adding to
fatigue, were mostly minor. forefront of our minds,'' Dr. two given three weeks Toma Omofoye, a Hous- financial strain.
"As we have seen with Peter Marks, FDA's vaccine apart and the last at least ton radiologist, made ap- "A lot of people are going
older age groups, we ex- chief, said at a news brief- two months later. pointments for her 4-year- to be happy and a lot of
pect that the vaccines for ing. Moderna's is two shots, old daughter and 3-year- grandparents are going to
younger children will pro- Marks said parents should each a quarter of its adult old son. Without the shots, be happy, too, because
vide protection from the feel comfortable with ei- dose, given about four her family has missed out we've missed those babies
most severe outcomes of ther vaccine, and should weeks apart for kids under on family gatherings, in- who grew up when you
COVID-19, such as hospi- get their kids vaccinated 6. The FDA also authorized a door concerts, even trips weren't able to see them,"
talization and death," FDA as soon as possible, rath- third dose, at least a month to the grocery store, she Ebel said.q

Jill Biden: 'It's up to Congress to act' on

gun safety laws

WASHINGTON (AP) — First tion meeting in a Mary- writing at Northern Virginia
lady Jill Biden, a longtime land suburb of Washington. Community College, said
teacher, said Friday she's "And they represent the will she often imagines the ter-
often wondered if her own of the people and that's rifying scene of a school
students would be the next why we need the people shooter playing out in her
"heartbreaking headline" to speak up. own classroom.
as she urged parents and Parents and teachers, all of She said she explains to her
teachers to speak up and us." students on the first day
demand that Congress "We need to fight, now, of class how they can es-
pass tougher gun safety for the lives of our children cape "if the worst happens"
First lady Jill Biden speaks at the 125th Anniversary Convention
of the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) in National Har- measures. and for the safety of our and acknowledged that
bor, Md., Friday, June 17, 2022. "There are no excuses. It's schools," she said. "I've wondered over the
Associated Press up to Congress to act," The first lady, who has years if my students would
Biden said in a speech to taught for nearly 40 years be the next heartbreaking
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press the National PTA Conven- and teaches English and headline."q