‘Squawk Box’ co-anchor, Becky Quick (left), and Dr. Kavita Patel (right) discuss COVID-19 vaccines and children.
On Monday, Dr. Kavita Patel, former White House policy director and fellow at the Brookings Institution, joined Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin of CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss pediatric COVID vaccines.
Of note, Dr. Patel emphasized the multilateral approach that local health departments are taking to help ensure that eligible individuals can equitably and efficiently access COVID vaccines in the days following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation. Importantly, these operational plans place schools, pediatric offices and pharmacies at the center of vaccine administration.
“I know, for example, in the District of Columbia that pharmacies are an incredible strategy because they are used to giving [vaccines] … Most pediatric offices are telling patients: ‘Don’t wait to get an appointment with us — it might be several weeks. If you can get a shot, get it at your local pharmacy,’” Dr. Patel said.
Dr. Patel’s comments follow the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization on Friday, October 29, of a two-dose series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine — with one-third of the active ingredient — for children ages 5-11.
Most recently, NACDS welcomed the Biden Administration’s October 20th announcement of operational planning for COVID vaccines for children ages 5-11 — should the CDC recommend a vaccine for this age group.
Pharmacies remain critical access points in the ongoing vaccination effort and will stand ready to provide vital access to COVID vaccines for children ages 5-11, when recommended to do so. As the 2021-2022 flu season persists, pharmacies continue to meet the nation’s preventive care vaccination needs, all in one visit.
