University of California Health supports CDC recommendation on COVID-19 vaccine for children
University of California Health today issued the following statement in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old:
The expansion of vaccination against COVID-19 to approximately 28 million children aged 5-11 years across the nation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a significant step forward in the fight against the pandemic. We applaud the recommendation by CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky following the unanimous vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The thorough review of the large amount of study data through the CDC process and by the Food and Drug Administration in its Emergency Use Authorization shows the vaccine to be safe and effective for children. The UCH view is aligned with the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
UCH encourages parents and guardians to have their eligible children vaccinated and to talk with a pediatrician if they have questions. In support of the CDC’s recommendation, UCH locations expect to have pediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available early next week.
Pediatric medicine and pediatric infectious disease experts across the UCH system join in this statement:
Dr. Carrie L. Byington
Infectious Disease Pediatrician
University of California Health Executive Vice President
Dr. Grace M. Aldrovandi
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Professor of Pediatrics
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Dr. Antonio Arrieta
Division Chief, Infectious Diseases
CHOC Children’s Hospital
Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of California, Irvine
Dr. Dean A. Blumberg
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Chief, Pediatric Infectious Diseases
UC Davis Health
Dr. Coleen K. Cunningham
Professor and Chair of Pediatrics
University of California, Irvine
Pediatrician-in-Chief and Senior VP
CHOC Children’s Hospital
Dr. Sherin U. Devaskar
Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics
Mattel Executive Endowed Chair, Department of Pediatrics
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Physician-in-Chief, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Children’s Health, UCLA Health
Dr. Gabriel G. Haddad
Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Neurosciences
Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
Vice Dean, Children’s Academic Programs
University of California San Diego
Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego
Dr. Raphael Hirsch
WH & Marie Wattis Distinguished Professor
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
UCSF School of Medicine
Physician-in-Chief
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
Dr. Satyan Lakshminrusimha
Dennis and Nancy Marks Chair,
Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics,
Pediatrician-in-Chief and Neonatologist,
UC Davis Children’s Hospital
Dr. George Liu
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of California San Diego
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego
Dr. Sasidharan Ponthenkandath
Chair, Pediatrics
Professor of Pediatrics and Founding Chair
UCR School of Medicine
Dr. Theodore Ruel
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health
Director, Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
Dr. Jasjit Singh
Assistant Division Chief, Infectious Diseases
Medical Director, CHOC Infection Prevention and Epidemiology
Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine
CHOC Children’s Hospital