School districts prepare for potential vaccine mandate for younger students

With a COVID-19 vaccine for young children expected to become available in the coming months, some school officials are turning their attention to possible state or federal vaccine mandates for students.

Pfizer announced it planned to apply for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between five and 11 years old in early October. The FDA has said children in clinical trials testing vaccines should be monitored for at least two months for side effects, suggesting that the agency is considering a quicker path to authorize the shot for emergency use than full approval.