Seattle Public Schools could ask for statewide student COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Millions of younger children are now eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director signed off on authorizing smaller doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 Tuesday.

The first doses, about a third the size of an adult dose, arrived at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Tuesday.

Clinics, pharmacies and schools are now making plans to administer the shots, but Seattle Public Schools could go a step further.

The board is expected to take up a resolution Wednesday that would ask the state to add the shot to the list of immunizations students are already required to receive if they attend public school once the shot is fully approved by the FDA, not just for emergency use.

Meanwhile, the vaccine for children will be available soon, but still needs final approval from the Western States Scientific Review Workgroup, which met Tuesday night.

Once approved, the vaccine will be available at doctors’ offices, and pharmacies and schools will also be having clinics of their own.

Seattle Public Schools, Lake Washington Schools and Highline Schools are just some the districts planning their own vaccination clinics.

Seattle has already promised to open some mass vaccination sites again to try to meet the demand for elementary school children to be vaccinated.

Once the review group signs off on the vaccine, it will send out information to the public and health care providers about the next steps.