COVID-19 Vaccine May Be Approved Soon for Children Under 5

NEW ORLEANS — The wait may soon be over for parents of children under 5 who have been awaiting approval of a COVID-19 vaccine for that age group.  

According to Dr. Mark Kline, Children’s Hospital New Orleans’ chief medical officer, vaccines will likely be approved in late June.

“The FDA will meet on June 15, and it’s expected they’ll approve the Pfizer three-dose vaccine and maybe the Moderna two-dose,” said Kline during a May 24 interview with Biz New Orleans editor Kim Singletary. “The CDC will then meet the following week, which means we should have something late June.” 

The FDA issued Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for adults in December 2020. In May 2021, the agency expanded the Pfizer emergency use authorization to include adolescents (ages 12–15). Boosters for certain adults were authorized in September 2021.

An infectious disease specialist by training, Kline became Children’s Hospital New Orleans’ chief medical officer/physician-in-chief in June 2021.