Pharmacies across the country are weighing whether to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for kids younger than 3, The Washington Post reported May 2.
Allie Jo Shipman, PharmD, director of state policy at the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, told the Post the decision is “really going to be much more individualistic to not even just the pharmacy, but perhaps the pharmacist."
Pharmacists in roughly 23 states are allowed to administer the vaccines to kids younger than 3, with some requiring prescriptions or other measures. Immunizations for babies and toddlers often take more time and require additional training. Some corporate pharmacy chains, such as Walgreens and CVS, are exploring options to develop their own plans.
The FDA laid out a tentative June schedule to decide whether to authorize COVID-19 vaccines for the nation's 18 million children younger than 5.