CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tuesday, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel voted 14-0 to recommend the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. Hours later, the CDC director gave her stamp of approval on the vaccines. With this, vaccine providers now have the all-clear to start administering the shots.
StarMed is expecting about 15,000 pediatric doses to arrive Wednesday with plans to start giving the shots on Thursday.
Editor's Note: The attached video aired shortly before the CDC panel voted to recommend the vaccine.
For some, the excitement feels like the night before Christmas.
“It’s encouraging," StarMed Healthcare CEO Michael Estramonte said. "I think a lot of parents have seen over the course of the year is that the vaccine has a good track record and it’s working.”
Kids ages 5 to 11 could be fully protected by Christmas if their parents get them the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine early into the upcoming rollout.
"The potential to spread it to an adult that’s at high risk, or a grandparent, that’s something that needs to be kept in mind,” Estramonte said.
The federal government shipped out 7 million doses in anticipation of full FDA and CDC approval this week.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services expects the state to get 411,000 doses in the coming days. In the meantime, Charlotte vaccine providers like StarMed are ready to hit the ground running.
"We pre-registered to give parents the comfort and knowledge that when their child gets there, there will be a dose available for them," Estramonte said. "The initial allotment this week is enough for what we believe to cover the demand. We have prescheduled out over 10,000 children as of now.”
The dosage for kids is one-third the size of the dose for people 12 and older, and is given in two doses three weeks apart.
Vials for kid doses have orange caps to distinguish them from adult doses. Additionally, StarMed will have separate tents for kids as well as staff members wearing different color shirts handling the shots to prevent doses from being mixed up.
"If it's drive-thru, we have the ability if the child wants to come out of the car and sit down, or if they want to stay in the car, they have that choice," Estramonte said. "And of course, lollipops and things like that will be available.”
StarMed has also added new vaccine clinic locations in anticipation of increased demand. They have 18 locations in Mecklenburg County, many strategically placed near schools to make it easier for parents.
For parents who are interested in getting their child vaccinated but don't want to go to a drive-thru clinic, both Atrium Health and Novant Health plan to have the vaccine in their pediatric offices.
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.