SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WREX) � Health officials are making sure younger kids will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is getting ready to make Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine available to kids between six months and five years old as soon as it is approved by the FDA.
On Tuesday, Pfizer asked the FDA to approve their COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use among younger kids.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the IDPH, says that the best way to combat the spread of the virus is through getting vaccinated.
"We are looking forward to the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine for our youngest population once it is reviewed by the CDC," Dr. Ezike says. "As we move towards coexisting with COVID-19, it is important that we are able to offer as much protection as possible from COVID-19-related hospitalizations for all ages."
The dose for kids younger than five years old will be a tenth of the dose for anyone older than 12. Pfizer's vaccine requires the first two doses to be taken three weeks apart.
IDPH says they will provide joint webinars with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics about vaccinations for kids younger than five years old.
More than 2,280 pediatric care providers have signed up to give COVID-19 vaccines, according to the IDPH. Vaccine clinics continue to be scheduled in churches, schools and YMCA among other locations throughout the state.
The plan for the first two doses of the three-dose series will need to be approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
