ATLANTA — Georgia's Department of Public Health announced Wednesday there are approximately 987,000 children ages 5-11 across the state now eligible for the COVID vaccine.
This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recommendation of Pfizer's pediatric shot.
The Department of Public Health said once it receives clinical guidance from the CDC -- it will begin distributing those shots. That guidance is expected in the next few days, the DPH said.
On Tuesday, Georgia DPH spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said the state pre-ordered around 145,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine.
Pfizer's pediatric COVID vaccine is authorized for kids as a two-dose shot, given three weeks apart. The dose for children ages 5-11 is one-third the dosage of the vaccine given to teens and adults.
According to a release from DPH, Pfizer's pediatric COVID vaccine was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among younger children in clinical trials. The DPH said vaccine side effects were "mild and temporary" among kids of that age range, with the most common side-effect being a sore arm.
Vaccine providers across Georgia include medical practices, pediatric practices, family medicine practices and public health clinics. The pediatric shot will also be available at private pharmacies, community health centers and schools.