Midland/Odessa Hospitals Preparing to Start Vaccinating Kids

The FDA emergency use for the Pfizer vaccine for kids age 12-15 is pending, but Permian Basin hospitals are already preparing to get kids vaccinated.

According to NewsWest 9, once the approval comes through for use in kids ages 12-15, area hospitals are ready to get started.

The FDA is expected to approve the vaccine for kids sometime in the next three weeks.

There is a plan in place at Midland Memorial Hospital, Odessa Regional Medical Center, and Medical Center Hospital once the approval comes through.

Parental consent would be needed for anyone 12-15, just like it is needed right now for those aged 16 and 17 that are currently able to get the vaccine.

Hospital officials say there is a list of kids wanting the vaccine so they can be able to do summer activities that they missed out on last year.

“We have had lots of requests from parents, especially, those with asthmatic children, diabetic children in that age group," said Val Sparks, infection preventionist at MMH. "Those wanting to go to camps, see grandparents, play sports, wanting to go to band camps, etcetera...they really want their kids vaccinated before going to those activities.”

The data that the FDA needs is a higher amount than was needed for adults to approve the emergency use authorization.

“You want it to be a much more powerful study when it’s for younger kids," said Rohith Saravanan, Chief Medical Officer at ORMC. "For lower age groups you need an even higher amount of data to prove safety so that’s why there’s a delay in the age groups being submitted."

Midland/Odessa hospitals are hoping the approval comes before school lets out.

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