COVID-19 live updates: Biden reacts to CDC greenlighting child vaccinations

(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 748,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Just 67.9% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 03, 10:04 am

Case rates falling in the South

Case rates are falling in the South, according to federal data.

In Florida, which was reporting high transmission in every county during the summer, is now only reporting high transmission in two of its 67 counties. Cases in Louisiana, Georgia, Texas and Mississippi are also improving.

Although new fatalities are down by approximately 36.4% since mid-September, when about 1,800 deaths were reported daily, the death toll still remains high, with nearly 1,200 deaths reported each day.

Nov 03, 9:04 am

Don’t give kids pain reliever before vaccine, CDC says

The CDC has updated its website urging parents of children ages 5 and older to get the vaccine “as soon as you can.”

The CDC is also reminding parents not to give kids a pain reliever before the vaccination to try to mitigate side effects. The CDC says pain relievers prior to a shot are not recommended because it’s not known how it might affect the vaccine.

Instead, the agency urges parents to talk to their doctor about a non-aspirin pain reliever after the shot if needed.

In general, the CDC also recommends that people who have recovered from COVID-19 still get the shot. (Waiting 90 days is only necessary if the person received monoclonal antibodies.)

Nov 03, 8:24 am

CDC director: ‘We’ve taken the time to get this right’

“We’ve taken the time to get this right,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky told “Good Morning America” Wednesday, the day after she signed off on the Pfizer vaccine for young kids. “It’s taken us almost a year compared to where we had a vaccine for adults.”

Parents should have peace of mind with the vaccine’s safety, she argued. “We reviewed the evidence, we reviewed the safety profile,” she said.

“You may have questions, and we are here to answer your questions,” she said. “Go talk to your pediatrician, your trusted health care provider, your pharmacist, and get the information that you need.”

Nov 02, 8:46 pm

Biden calls CDC greenlight for child vaccinations ‘a major step forward’

President Joe Biden called Tuesday’s move by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to allow Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5 to 11 years old “a turning point.”

“It will allow parents to end months of anxious worrying about their kids, and reduce the extent to which children spread the virus to others,” he said in a statement. “It is a major step forward for our nation in our fight to defeat the virus.”

The president said his administration has secured enough pediatric vaccines for every child in America and has begun shipping out doses.

“The program will ramp up over the coming days, and fully up and running during the week of November 8,” he said.

Nov 02, 8:21 pm

CDC director signs off on child vaccinations

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky approved the agency’s recommendations for administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children between 5 and 11 years old.

MORE: In promising milestone, Pfizer vaccine soon available for kids 5 and up

Vaccinations for this age group, which includes over 28 million children, can begin as early as Wednesday morning.

The two-dose vaccine has been approved for an emergency use for children 12 to 15 years old and for full authorized use for patients above 16 years old.

Hartford HealthCare was one of the first locations in the country to administer the vaccine to kids Tuesday evening. The young patients cheered and gave doctors high fives after they received their shots.

Nov 02, 7:14 pm

Pharmacies readying COVID shots for young children

Two major pharmacy chains announced Tuesday evening they are getting ready to offer Pfizer COVID-19 shots to children 5 to 11 years-old.

Pending signoff from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, which could happen as early as Tuesday night, Walgreens told ABC News it expects to begin administering shots to that age group starting Saturday.

Walgreens said its online scheduler for children’s appointments will be available starting Wednesday.

The Pfizer pediatric vaccine will arrive “later this week in select locations throughout the country,” CVS said in a statement. Appointments will be available at individual stores after each receives vaccines.