US advisers urge COVID shot for kids 5-11, final OK due soon

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writers

An influential U.S. advisory panel is recommending that all children ages 5 to 11 should get Pfizer's pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

Members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 14-0 to recommend the vaccine for the younger children Tuesday.

If the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees with Tuesday's vote, the U.S. will embark on a major expansion of vaccinations.

Pediatricians are getting ready to put kid-size doses into little arms as soon as they get the final OK. Pfizer already has begun shipping millions of doses to states, doctors' offices and pharmacies.

The special kid shots contain just a third of the dose given to teens and adults.