WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Organizations and Leaders Applaud Biden Administration's Operational Planning for COVID-19 Vaccinations for Kids Ages 5-11

Yesterday, the Biden Administration announced a plan to ensure that if a COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for children ages 5-11, it is quickly distributed and made conveniently and equitably available to families across the country. The Administration's planning efforts will be critical to ensuring that we are keeping kids and families safe, and we will be ready to begin getting shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation.

Health care organizations and providers, as well as federal, state and local officials, applauded the Biden Administration's efforts to help jurisdictions, health care providers, pharmacies and others prepare for implementation of a vaccination program to protect our nation's 28 million children ages 5-11.

See below for what they are saying:

Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics: "Pediatricians welcome today's plan unveiled by the Biden Administration on vaccinating children ages 5-11 against COVID-19 once there is a safe and effective vaccine authorized and recommended, and we are eager to participate in the process. Pediatricians are the backbone of childhood immunizations in this country, and this vaccine is no different…The plan issued today by the White House recognizes that the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine for young children requires additional efforts to educate and support families and provide vaccines in settings where families and children feel most comfortable and are accustomed to accessing care." [Press Release, 10/20/21]

Sterling N. Ransone, Jr., MD, FAAFP, President of the American Academy of Family Physicians: "The American Academy of Family Physicians applauds the Biden Administration's plan to vaccinate an estimated 28 million children ages 5-11 against COVID-19 in the coming months. Family physicians play an instrumental role in caring for, counseling and immunizing children and their families, and are well-equipped to administer the vaccine in the communities in which they serve. We are pleased the plan announced by the White House yesterday recognizes that the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine for young children cannot happen without family physicians and pediatricians who have formed trusted relationships with their patients and provide care in a comfortable and familiar setting." [Press Release, 10/21/21]

Gerald E. Harmon, MD, President of the American Medical Association: "Ahead of potential FDA and CDC authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of 5 and 11, the American Medical Association is pleased by the Biden Administration's advance planning and collaboration to ensure enough vaccine supply is available, and that it's accessible at places parents and kids know and trust, specifically at their own physician's practice. Recent polling indicates that parents are eager to vaccinate their children and protect them from COVID-19. Laying this advance groundwork, ensuring supply is available at physician practices, and that a patient's own physician is available to answer questions, is critical to the continued success of this rollout." [Press Release, 10/20/21]

Amy Wimpey Knight, President of the Children's Hospital Association: "The health and safety of our nation's children and their families has always been our number one priority. We are committed to ensuring that families of children ages 5-11 have equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine once it receives emergency use authorization from the FDA and CDC. We applaud the Biden Administration's effort to bring pediatric partners to the table to help resource this program." [Press Release, 10/20/21]

Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials: "This White House's plan highlights the many different avenues and considerations for expanding COVID-19 vaccination to children, who continue to be at risk from the virus. Local Health Departments across the country are ready to do their part standing up vaccine clinics, coordinating vaccine access in their community, working with schools, and engaging parents in these critical conversation around their kid's health." [Tweet, 10/20/21]

Big Cities Health Coalition: "The Biden Administration's plan will provide accessible vaccination opportunities at doctors' offices, hospitals, schools, and other community sites. A successful vaccination campaign will meet people were they are, share information broadly, and get shots in arms efficiently and equitably." [Tweet, 10/20/21]

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers: "The delta variant changed everything and made clear that kids can get sick from COVID and transmit it, making vaccinations all the more critical. Vaccines for children give parents more tools to protect their children, which in turn will make our students, schools and communities safer. The administration's plan to use trusted places and people, including schools and family pediatricians, to help kids get vaccinated is a huge step toward beating COVID and returning to normalcy." [Press Release, 10/21/21]

The American Pharmacists Association: "The American Pharmacists Association supports the Biden administration's efforts to implement a comprehensive plan to vaccinate children age 5 to 11 against COVID-19. After authorization from the FDA and CDC, it will take everyone in the immunization neighborhood to get the job done – pharmacists, pharmacy interns, pharmacy technicians, public health, physicians, nurses, and other trusted community stakeholders. The vaccines are safe and effective, and the data clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are occurring among the unvaccinated." [Press Release, 10/20/21]

Steven C. Anderson, President and CEO of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores: "We are extremely supportive of the thoughtful plan that the Biden Administration has laid out to help ensure that the nation's children can quickly and conveniently be vaccinated and protected against the COVID virus. These important planning actions by the federal government will help ensure that pharmacies – the most accessible healthcare destinations in the country – are ready to continue to meet the needs of the American public when the time comes and when the science confirms that COVID vaccines for that age group are safe and effective." [Press Release, 10/20/21]

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy: "This morning, @POTUS announced a comprehensive mobilization plan to ensure we have the supply, sites, and support needed to get children vaccinated when they become eligible. We look forward to working with our federal partners to vaccinate & protect New Jersey's kids from COVID." [Tweet, 10/20/21]

Rep. Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-8): "I'm very glad to see this comprehensive plan announced by them today. It won't be a one-size-fits-all approach & it shouldn't be. Some parents are eager to get their children vaccinated. And some parents have questions. So I am glad to see a mix of pediatric practices, Community Health Centers & pharmacies all available to administer the vaccine." [Tweet, 10/20/21]