State will place order for Covid-19 vaccines for children less than the age of 5

In anticipation of a likely approval of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children less than the age of 5 on June 15, the White House has begun to allow states to place orders.

White House officials report the doses could be arriving in states as early as June 21.

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services spokesman Jon Ebelt said it’s still not known exactly how many doses the state will ask for in that initial shipment, but last week, he told the Daily Montanan that he anticipates the vaccine will be available for the younger kids soon.

DPHHS didn’t say whether the vaccine’s availability and arrival would prompt any larger public awareness campaign. Instead, Ebelt said the department will follow a similar course as other COVID campaigns, which center on patients and parents talking with doctors.

The vaccines will first be made available to the states via the federal government. Other partners, like clinics, pharmacies and doctors will be eligible shortly after, in a sort of cover-all-the-bases approach.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimate in July 2021, there are nearly 63,000 children less than the age of 5 in the state.

“The vaccine distribution has not changed and will use the same systems that are already in place,” Ebelt said.