COLUMBUS – Doses of two different COVID-19 vaccines intended for the youngest children could arrive in Ohio as early as Monday, state health officials said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the decision Saturday to open vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, the last group without the shots.
“The state has a robust network of vaccine providers, so parents will have many options to access these shots,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health.
The Biden administration has been gearing up for the start of the shots early this week and millions of doses have been ordered for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country.
The Pfizer vaccine comes in three doses – each 1/10 the strength of the adult dose. The second shot can be given three weeks after the first and the third dose can be administered two months after that, Vanderhoff said.
Moderna two-shot regimen is one-fourth the strength of an adult dose and the shots can be given four weeks apart, he said.
Vanderhoff says the timing of the release of the vaccines is convenient because parents can schedule them during regular visits to their pediatricians ahead of the new school year.