In response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) recommendation to make children 6 months through 5 years old eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a statement on this major milestone to protect our nation's youngest kids during the pandemic. CDC's recommendation followed the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) authorization of Moderna's vaccine for children 6 months through 5 years old and Pfizer's vaccine for children 6 months through 4 years old.

"Thanks to the FDA and CDC's rigorous, comprehensive, and independent review of the data, and their strict commitment to following the science, we are reaching another major milestone in our efforts to protect more children, their families, and our communities as we work to end the pandemic. We are following the data and science as we make sure all Americans are eligible and have access to COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to prevent severe disease and save lives. Based on CDC and FDA actions, we now know that vaccination for our children 6 months through 5 years old is safe and effective and we are ready to get millions of children vaccinated.

"We are working with states, localities, pediatricians' offices, children's hospitals, pharmacies, and other trusted health care providers to ensure equitable access to the vaccine for our nation's youngest kids. We know that many families are trying to decide what is right for them, and we encourage everyone seeking further information to talk to a doctor or health care provider to get the facts. COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. We now have another opportunity to get ahead of this pandemic and protect our nation's youngest kids, and the Biden-Harris Administration will continue working every day to get as many people protected from COVID-19 as possible."