States can reserve COVID-19 shots for younger kids next week

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials are setting the stage for a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign for younger children, inviting state officials to pre-order doses starting next week.

In meetings scheduled in the next three weeks, federal officials plan to discuss making shots made by one manufacturer, Pfizer, available for kids ages 5 to 11.

To help states and cities prepare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week sent out a 7-page planning guide that some say provided important clarifications on how to set up the programs.