Ahead of the expected authorization of the COVID vaccine for
children ages 5 to 11, the Biden administration says the shots will be distributed to school-based clinics as well as pediatricians' offices, pharmacies, and other sites.
The federal government will also launch a program helping school districts start school-based vaccination sites by "matching" districts with vaccine providers, officials said Wednesday.
"Our planning efforts mean that we will be ready to begin getting
shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation," the White House said in a statement.
The Biden administration's plan signals schools will continue to play a role in completing a massive challenge of both logistics and persuasion: vaccinating the 28 million children ages 5-11 across the country. A new federal campaign "to increase vaccine confidence" will involve schools, as well as local health departments and faith leaders.