When will kids be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

TAMPA, Fla. - As children head back to school, the federal government is facing growing pressure from physicians and parents to approve COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of 12.

The CDC and FDA say they are basing their decision and timeframe for making a determination on science, safety, and research that is still being conducted. 

"They are looking at safety and also what kind of dose should you use in people that are smaller. You might not use the adult dose," said FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock.

The initial data suggests when children ages 5 to 11 are approved for the Pfizer vaccine, it may be a smaller dose – 10 micrograms instead the 30 micrograms approved for those 12 and older.

Pfizer plans to submit its safety data on vaccine trial volunteers between the ages of 5 to 11 by the end of September. Moderna also plans to submit its data this fall.

The prior timeframe of approval for adults and teens-that suggests children ages 5 to 11 may be approved for the Pfizer shots around October, but the FDA and CDC have no timeframe and will not offer any estimates.

"There are so many variables and we are not allowed to speak about interactions between individual sponsors and the FDA," Woodcock said.

After kids ages 5 to 11 are approved, scientists will continue to examine safety and efficacy for those under the age of 5, but that will likely require months of additional review.  

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At the same time, the FDA appears to be close to granting full approval for the vaccines for those 12 and older in the coming weeks. 

When we move from the emergency use authorization to full FDA approval, that will likely spur more companies to require their workers to get vaccinated – though many are already doing that.

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We still don’t know if or when the government will approve booster shots for those who are fully vaccinated. Scientists are still trying to figure out when or to what extent the protection wears off. 

"The way this is done is to watch how immunity decreases over time in people who have been vaccinated," said Woodcock. 

She noted there are ways to do that in addition to tracking the breakthrough infections.

"Drawing people’s blood and looking at how immunity drops over time and that can help us a great deal as well," she added.