Pediatric vaccinations slow in the US

The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations among children ages 5 to 11 has slowed considerably nationwide, according to a new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The analysis shows that a little more than a month since the Food and Drug Administration signed off on pediatric COVID-19 vaccines, the rate of increase has leveled off. The drop-off began before Thanksgiving, and has continued since.

The FDA authorized vaccines for younger kids on Nov. 2, and Kaiser found an initial spike in demand, suggesting the eager parents and caregivers have already come forward.

Extending vaccine eligibility to children younger than 12 has been a major goal of public health officials and eagerly awaited by many pediatricians and families. But, just like vaccinations for adults, reaching the people after the low-hanging fruit represents the most difficult part of the vaccination campaign.

The numbers: Vaccination rates among 5-11 year-olds, measured by first doses administered daily, rose sharply after the recommendation was first made on Nov. 2. One week later, on Nov. 9, the rate had risen to 4 percent, and on Nov. 16, it was 9.8 percent. But the rate of first dose administration began to slow after that, and has continued to decline since.