Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approved the recommendation that children five years and younger get a reduced dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, allowing millions of children to get increased protection, CNN reports.
The recommendation the use of either the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech formulations for children over the age of six months. While children normally do not contract the virus, the ones who do have a significantly higher risk of complications and death than older children.
“Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation’s fight against COVID-19. We know millions of parents and caregivers are eager to get their young children vaccinated, and with today’s decision, they can,” Walensky said in a statement. “I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated.”
The recommendation allows for two lower doses of the Moderna vaccine and three of the Pfizer/BioNTech version for children 6 months to five years.