With people younger than 12 possibly becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks, Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health has started ordering doses.
The system ordered 1,500 doses on Wednesday for the medical center, officials said, 1,200 of which will go to the university campus and the other 300 to the memorial campus. Community sites do not plan to order at this time, according to officials.
By next month, about 515,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 in Massachusetts could be eligible for the vaccine. On Oct. 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s independent advisory committee is scheduled to meet to consider approval of vaccination for that age group. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s advisory group is slated to do the same on Nov. 2 and 3.
Across Massachusetts, an initial shipment of 360,000 doses of pediatric vaccine is expected by the first week of November. The state wants to administer shots at more than 700 locations around Massachusetts.
UMass Memorial has a meeting Friday to discuss a preliminary plan for ambulatory clinics to administer shots. Mobile clinics also expect to immunize the 5 to 11 age group eventually.
It may take a few weeks to get the effort rolled out, UMass Memorial said.
Material from the State House News Service was used in this report.
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