Pediatric Pfizer (5-11 yrs) COVID Bivalent Booster Pre-Ordering Opening Soon
Currently, anyone aged 12 years or older who has completed at least a primary series is eligible for a bivalent booster, regardless of number or type of prior booster doses received, so long as at least two months have passed since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose. In addition, monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized as booster doses for individuals 12 years of age and older. If authorized by FDA, CDC anticipates a recommendation for bivalent COVID-19 vaccine as a booster for pediatric age groups in early to mid-October. Bivalent products expected to be under consideration include the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5-11 years and bivalent Moderna vaccine in children aged 6-17 years, for those individuals who have already received their primary vaccine series.
Here's what we know:
Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 years and older is expected to have the following characteristics:
Packaged in 10-dose vials in cartons of 10 vials each (100 doses total)
Requires diluent (note: awardees will not be able to opt out of receiving ancillary kits)
Minimum order quantity of 100 doses in Philavax
Vial with an orange cap similar to the existing Pfizer-BioNTech product for this age group, but with a label that identifies it as a bivalent booster
Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is expected to have the following characteristics:
Packaged in 5-dose vials in cartons of 10 vials each (50 doses total), with a minimum order quantity of 100 doses in Philavax
The same vial (dark blue cap, gray border) and presentation for Moderna is expected to be used for all authorized age groups (people aged 6 years and older), but volume and dosage expected to differ by age:
Adolescents aged 12-17 years: same volume and dosage as for adults aged 18 years and older
Children aged 6-11 years: half the volume and dosage as for adults aged 18 years and older (drawn from the same vial), i.e., one vial yields double the number of doses when used for 6–11-year-olds as when used for people aged 12 years and older
Ordering/Administration Information
Administration of bivalent boosters for this age range cannot begin until EUAs are issued/updated AND ACIP meets to make formal vaccine recommendations
There will be no pre-order period for Moderna bivalent vaccine for children aged 6-11 since this product will already be in the field
Pre-ordering for Pfizer 5-11 bivalent boosters is expected to open up on Monday 9/26 and close on Tuesday 9/27 at 5pm
This schedule is subject to change depending on CDC guidance
Pfizer pre-orders are expected to arrive the week of 10/10. No Deliveries Will be Made on Indigenous People's Day!
NDC – 59267-0565-2
September 23, 2022 by Samm Deighan in Bulletin, COVID-19 Vaccine