AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of State Health Services will hold a virtual news conference at 2:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11.
Imelda Garcia, MPH, the associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services for DSHS, and Saroj Rai, Ph.D., a senior scientific advisor, will speak to media members.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, and the Centers for Disease Control Prevention hasn't recommended one yet. However, it's widely thought it's only a matter of time before such shots are suggested by federal agencies.
Pfizer says its vaccine is safe to use for the age group, and Austin Public Health has been working with school districts to get an idea of what the demand could potentially be for the shots.
The Biden administration announced plans last week to vaccinate around 28 million kids in the age group once the vaccine is approved, which is expected to happen Nov. 2-3 when CDC advisory panel meets to discuss it. FDA approval is also expected around that time.
We will stream DSHS' virtual news conference in this story, the KXAN News app and the KXAN Facebook page.
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