KUAF - Daniel Caruth
Many students across Arkansas return to school this week. With new COVID-19 variants emerging, some health officials are urging students, parents and school staff to take precautions that could prevent virus outbreaks.
Courtesy/CDC
In June, COVID-19 vaccines were approved for kids as young as six months old.
By MICHAEL TILLEY/ TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS
Arkansas will not mandate COVID-19 vaccines for school children when a vaccine becomes available for those under the age of 12, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday. The governor said state law bans a public mandate vaccine for any purpose and demographic.
It’s possible the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could approve an emergency authorization to Pfizer for vaccines among those between the ages of 5 and 11 by Halloween. Pfizer has provided vaccine trial data to the FDA for proposed vaccine, which would be 10 micrograms compared with the 30 microgram dose used for those 12 and older. The Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11 would also be a two-dose regimen.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the FDA and a board member at Pfizer, recently said during a CNBC Squawk Box interview that Pfizer could submit to the FDA “very quickly.”
https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/gov-hutchinson-rules-out-vaccine-mandates-arkansas-school-kids
Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaking with reporter's during Tuesday's press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic.
CREDIT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE