Today, following approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech® COVID-19 Vaccine for children ages 5-11 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the final recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the South Dakota Department of Health released the following statement:
“Protecting children against COVID-19 is a giant leap forward in the fight against this virus and a great way to protect those around them,” said Kim Malsam-Rysdon, Secretary of Health. “South Dakota parents should talk to their child’s pediatrician to get trusted personalized medical advice and do what is right for their families.”
Starting November 3, under the FDA emergency use authorization, pediatric doses of the Pfizer® COVID-19 vaccines are available to the public. The initial federal vaccine allotment of 30,000 doses have been strategically disbursed amongst providers across the state to ensure a prompt and efficient vaccine administration process for children. Parental authorization is required.
According to a press release issued by the CDC, “COVID-19 cases in children can result in hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C (inflammatory syndromes) and long-term complications, such as “long COVID,” in which symptoms can linger for months. Vaccination, along with other preventative measures, can protect children from COVID-19 using the safe and effective vaccines already recommended for use in adolescents and adults in the United States. Similar to what was seen in adult vaccine trials, vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among children aged 5-11 years.” To read the full CDC press release, click here.
As of today, a total of over 908,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in South Dakota. The percentage of those within the state having received at least one dose is 68%, and 58% of South Dakotans have completed their vaccination series. To find the most up-to-date vaccination information, including detailed vaccine numbers, click here.
