WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Tuesday celebrated for the first time the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for babies up to 6 months, hailing a “historic landmark” that now allows every age group in the United States to be protected against the deadly virus.
Tuesday was the first day that parents with children under the age of 5 could take their children to get COVID-19 after being approved last week by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which determined that the benefits of vaccination for children outweighed the risks. Have gone .
“Finally, a little bit of mind,” Biden said Tuesday After their visit to the vaccination clinic where the first shots were given to young children. “This is a very historic landmark, a monumental step forward.”
Children under the age of five were the only age group that did not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, with the exception of children younger than six months, who could be protected by parental vaccination during pregnancy.
What parents should know:The youngest Americans can start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from Tuesday
Biden encouraged parents to talk to their doctor about their concerns, including questions about vaccinating their young children. He said the government was partnering with local health departments, family doctors, rural health clinics and other health care providers to ensure that the vaccine was accessible to all families.
Biden also criticized the thin veil of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leads the only state in the country that has not pre-ordered shipments of COVID-19 vaccines for young children from the federal government. The White House said the issue has led to delays in the availability of shots for children.
“Elected officials should not get in the way and make it more difficult for parents who want to vaccinate their children and protect them and those around them,” Biden said. “This is not the time for politics.”
What parents say:The COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 is finally here, but most parents do not jump in line.
Earlier Tuesday, the president and first lady also visited a vaccination clinic at the Church of the Holy Communion on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Washington, DC.
Biden and the first lady, both wearing masks, greeted children and families at the site, talking to Biden about his youngest grandson, Beu, two years old, newly eligible for vaccination.
“Everyone knows I like kids more than people,” he joked.
Covid vaccine for children under 5 years of age:The shots are finally here, but most parents don’t jump in line
Contributed by: Associated Press
