Children's Health

Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for young children is a lower-dose formulation of the companies' adult vaccine. It was found to be safe and nearly 91% effective at preventing COVID-19.

CDC recommends Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11

9:41pm November 02, 2021

Kids ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to get Pfizer's low-dose COVID vaccine. CDC director Rochelle Walensky agreed with a unanimous decision of a team of advisers that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Approximately 28 million children are now eligible for Pfizer's lower-dose vaccine

8:09pm November 02, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

School-aged children are now eligible for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, as CDC director Rochelle Walensky issued the recommendation supporting this version of the vaccine.

Queue Listen Now

Mai Yang, a communicable disease specialist, searches for Angelica, a 27 year-old pregnant woman who tested positive for syphilis, in order to get her treated before she delivers her baby.

Health & Safety

Syphilis is resurging in the U.S., a sign of public health's funding crisis

2:44pm November 01, 2021

by Caroline Chen

The country nearly eradicated this treatable sexually transmitted disease twice, only to see it come roaring back. The failure shows the weakness of a cash-strapped public health system.

A long document labeled "health insurance" turns into waves as the document stretches across the screen. Two people in a small boat ride the "waves" of the document, fishing for the jargon like "deductible" and "copayment."

6 tips to help you pick the right health insurance plan

12:19pm November 01, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

The open enrollment period to buy health insurance on HealthCare.gov starts now and runs through Jan. 15, 2022. Look for more options and expanded subsidies this year — and more help signing up.

Children ages 5 to 11 are a step closer to being eligible for the Pfizer vaccine

7:58am October 30, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Children ages 5-11 are a step closer to being eligible for the Pfizer COVID vaccine. It's a lower-dose formulation and expected to go to an advisory panel of the CDC next.

A syringe is filled with a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. While the vaccine has now been authorized for children between ages 5 and 11, it may take several weeks for shots to become widely available.

Parents should be patient about getting COVID vaccines for kids, White House says

7:12am October 30, 2021

by Tamara Keith

There are fresh logistical challenges, warns the White House's COVID czar in an exclusive interview with NPR. For example, young children will be getting a smaller dose delivered via smaller needles.

Ari Blank got a comforting hand-squeeze from his mom in May as he was vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. This week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of Pfizer's vaccine in even younger kids — ages 5 to 11.

FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

5:54pm October 29, 2021

by Joe Neel

The agency acted after an independent panel of scientists strongly supported the move. Kids could start getting vaccinated within the week.

FDA extends emergency use authorization of COVID vaccine for kids ages 5-11

4:29pm October 29, 2021

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Kids are one step closer to being eligible for COVID-19 vaccination after the Food and Drug administration extended its emergency use authorization of Pfizer's vaccine for children ages 5-11.

A health care worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a child at a pediatrician's office in Bingham Farms, Michigan. Federal agencies are considering whether to start giving the vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 in the near fut

Here's the timeline for the kids COVID vaccine authorization

8:19pm October 28, 2021

There are a couple of big steps to get through before U.S. kids under 12 might be able to get the vaccine. Here's how the process works and when the shots could arrive.

Six examples of products resembling standard snack items. The featured products contain THC, a main ingredient in marijuana edibles.

State attorneys general issue a warning for Halloween about marijuana-type treats

10:03pm October 27, 2021

by Jonathan Franklin

State officials alert parents of the unregulated, illegal marijuana snacks that favor the sober, major brand.