An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is meeting to discuss whether to recommend COVID vaccine booster shots for children ages 5 to 11, a group that is just 29% vaccinated so far
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices could recommend making boosters available for some portion of that age group, but may stop short of saying all children should get the extra shot, experts said."Omicron and other Omicron-like variants have caused some degree of illness in children, but it has been less than Delta, so is there sufficient benefit ?" said Dr. William Schaffner, who serves as the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases liaison to ACIP.
Severe disease is relatively rare in the age group, especially for those who have received two shots. The government has been pushing for eligible Americans to get boosted based on data showing vaccine immunity wanes over time.
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