Marin officials prepare to vaccinate 5–11 year-olds

The Marin County Health Department and Marin County schools have begun planning for emergency authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11. The county has a goal of getting 75% of eligible children their first does within one month of FDA approval.

As part of the preparation, Marin is working with local pediatricians' offices so that as many of them as possible can administer the vaccine to their own patients. Vaccination events are being planned for the weekends of Oct. 30 and 31, Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 and 14.

There is no guarantee that the vaccine will receive authorization for younger age groups by then, but that is the expectation. Pfizer submitted its data to the FDA this week. The company says results from a Phase 2/3 trial show a safe and robust antibody responses in children 5 to 11 years of age. 

“Bottom line is that one of the hallmarks of the success we’ve had in Marin is the leadership of our public health department and they’re forward thinking so we should be ready,” Marin County Superintendent Mary Jane Burke said, as quoted by SFGate. “We anticipate what’s going to be needed so we’re ready and we don’t have to wait until we get the information and then get ready.”