Thread by @ashtonpittman

NEW: Since July, twice as many children have died of COVID-19 as during the prior 16 months combined. All were unvaccinated or ineligible for the jab.

But kids ages 5-11 may soon be eligible; Today, Pfizer asked the FDA approve the vaccine for ages 5-11.mississippifreepress.org/16765/pfizer-a…

“With new cases in the U.S. continuing to be at a high level, this submission is an important step in our ongoing effort against #COVID19," Pfizer said today.
mississippifreepress.org/16765/pfizer-a…

Among Mississippi children between the ages of 12 and 15 who are eligible for vaccination already, 30% are now fully vaccinated along with 34% of those between the ages of 16 and 17.

45% of Mississippians of all ages are fully vaccinated.
mississippifreepress.org/16765/pfizer-a…

“The safety profile and immunogenicity data in children aged 5 to 11 years vaccinated at a lower dose are consistent with those we have observed with our vaccine in other older populations at a higher dose,” said Dr. Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech.mississippifreepress.org/16765/pfizer-a…

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Clarification: Twice as many children have died since late July *IN MISSISSIPPI* as during the prior 16 months of the pandemic combined (we're a Mississippi outlet, of course).

I do not think it is that high nationwide.

https://twitter.com/ashtonpittman/status/1446153847286685699

It's good that kids 5-11 may soon be able to get vaccinated.

But that still leaves out children under 5—like a child btwn 1-4 who died of COVID in Mississippi in August and a baby who died in September.

Their health depends on others getting vaccinated.
mississippifreepress.org/15681/mississi…