CDC advisers urge Pfizer booster for children ages 5 to 11: Friday, May 20

Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday.

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, as expected, it would open a third COVID-19 shot to healthy elementary-age kids — just like what is already recommended for everybody 12 and older.

The hope is that an extra shot will shore up protection for kids ages 5 to 11 as infections once again are on the rise.

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer's kid-sized booster, to be offered at least five months after the youngsters' last shot.

The CDC takes the next step of recommending who actually needs vaccinations. Its advisers debated if all otherwise healthy 5- to 11-year-olds need an extra dose, especially since so many children were infected during the huge winter surge of the omicron variant.

But the U.S. now is averaging 100,000 new cases a day for the first time since February. And ultimately, the CDC's advisers pointed to growing evidence from older kids and adults that two primary vaccinations plus a booster are providing the best protection against the newest coronavirus variants.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/cdc-advisers-urge-pfizer-covid-booster-shot-children-ages-5-to-11/507-5271c368-2529-4f02-b9a5-a6bd502a21e5

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed a gun was found at a middle school Thursday morning.

A district spokesperson confirmed the weapon was found at Ranson Middle School, located along Statesville Road. Students and staff are safe, and the spokesperson said that was all the information available as of writing.

WCNC Charlotte has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for additional information. We will update this article as new details are provided.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/crime-charlotte-mecklenburg-schools-cms-gun-ranson-middle-school-local-education/275-3243871f-52ae-46aa-a6fc-e38baa368b79

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