Advanced Pediatrics is very pleased to announce that we are once again registered to be a COVID-19 vaccination site, this time for the upcoming administration of COVID-19 vaccine to all children ages 5-11 years old.

The Ohio Department of Health officially approved of our order and will be shipping doses of the Pfizer pediatric formulation of the COVID vaccination after final CDC approval.

Please note, we cannot schedule anyone for the 5-11 year old COVID vaccine until our shipment is shipped and receipt is assured.

As for when this all will take place, remember that for us, or anyone, to give the vaccine to 5-11 year olds, the FDA must authorize, then the CDC must approve.  FDA authorization is set to be decided today, Tuesday, October 26.  The CDC is set to meet November 2-3 to decide on final approval which would allow us all to proceed.  We are told that the Ohio Department of Health is setting up shipment to us as soon as the CDC issues final approval, which could happen by November 3, we will see.

We also have learned that Ohio has a law that prohibits pharmacies from giving anyone under age 7 any sort of vaccine, so 5-6 year olds will not be able to get their COVID vaccines at the pharmacy.  But we do know the Cleveland Clinic will be holding mass vaccination programs for 5-11 year olds on Saturdays, and Cuyahoga County will be doing the same.

Here is what to watch for:

1. FDA authorization of the Pfizer COVID vaccine for 5-11 year olds, today, October 26
2. CDC approval of recommendations to go ahead with Pfizer COVID vaccines for 5-11 year olds sometime on November 2-3
3. Once both of these happen, we here will soon hear of our shipment of vaccine being sent.
4. Stay tuned for a final announcement from Advanced Pediatrics on when we will open our schedules to give COVID vaccine to 5-11 year olds.  We will issue specific guidance as soon as our vaccine shipment is fully set and confirmed.  We anticipate issuing that guidance after November 3.
5. Stay tuned for community vaccination sites for 5-11 year olds at Akron Children’s, the Cleveland Clinic, and Cuyahoga County.
6. Pharmacies can give children 7 and up the COVID vaccination once approval is set after November 3.

Finally today, WE URGE ALL FAMILIES to plan to give the COVID vaccine to there 5-11 year olds.  The safety of the immunization is now known to be totally solid, I am very, very confident it is safe for children.  And it works, the level of protection is nothing short of remarkable.  This is the deadliest pandemic of our lifetime, the decision to not immunize has already cost over 100,000 of our lives.  Let us do our job as parents, protect our children.  We stand ready to help.

To your health,
Dr. Arthur Lavin