East Farmingdale, NY- New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the state is ready, should the Centers for Disease Control approve COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of five. The Food and Drug Administration advisory panel approved coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer on Wednesday. In a press release Hochul said “Once approved, I encourage parents and guardians to reach out to their pediatricians about getting their young children vaccinated during the summer break. The vaccine is our best defense against COVID-19, and we will continue to make this tool widely available to New Yorkers as part of our ongoing pandemic preparedness efforts.”
The Centers for Disease Control still needs to review the vaccines and if they receive approval, then the New York State Department of Health will issue guidance to providers. New York State has purchased 39,000 dosages of COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of five.
-By Brett Levine
Photo: Dr. Barry Diener and Ilana Diener hold their son, Hudson, 3, during an appointment for a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial in Commack, N.Y. on Nov. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Emma H. Tobin)