Governor Janet Mills, Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew, and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Nirav D. Shah released the following statements today after the U.S. CDC recommended Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old:

“I wholeheartedly welcome this development and thank the scientific community for their rigorous review of the data, which shows that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective in protecting children ages 5 and up from COVID-19,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I encourage parents to talk to their children’s pediatricians about the importance of getting their kids vaccinated as soon as possible to protect their health, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our classrooms and communities, and to help us turn the tide on this pandemic.”

“With today’s recommendation from the U.S. CDC, approximately 96,000 Maine children between the ages of 5 and 11 can gain significant protection from COVID-19,”said DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. “We’re putting into action our plan with health care providers, pharmacies, schools, and other partners to make the vaccine available to this age group as soon as this week and over the coming days and weeks.”

“The U.S. CDC’s recommendation of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 is the result of a thorough scientific review,” said Maine CDC Director Nirav D. Shah. “This vaccine is safe, free, and will protect the health and lives of Maine children. I urge parents to talk to their child’s pediatrician to learn more, explore appointments at their local pharmacy, and connect with their school community about the benefits of vaccination.”

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for children 5 to 11 years old in a two-dose series, and is administered in a lower dose than the vaccine for adolescents and adults.

COVID-19 vaccines are available at no charge at sites across the state. For information on getting a vaccine, please visit Maine.gov/covid19/vaccines or call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111.