Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.   

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 years old. As of Thursday, Hoosiers 5 and older can register for the COVID-19 vaccine at OurShot.IN.gov.

READ MORE: Vaccine registration for 5- to 11-year-olds starts Thursday at 8 a.m. in Indiana

Kids 12 and up have been eligible for the Pfizer vaccine since May, but the new age group could drastically improve transmission over the holiday season and into the spring semester.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said in a statement the rollout of vaccines to Hoosiers 5 and older is “a game changer” in keeping “children healthy and in school for in-person learning.”

The vaccine dose for those 11 and under is a third of the amount given to teens and adults. Like adults, kids will get two shots, three weeks apart. The smaller dose option for younger children still provides more than 90 percent efficacy.

However, some parents are hesitant to get their children vaccinated despite pediatrician recommendations.

READ MORE: Monroe Co. expects to begin vaccinating younger population by week's end

This week on Noon Edition, we’ll talk about COVID-19 vaccines for kids and what it could mean moving forward in the pandemic.

You can follow us on Twitter @NoonEdition or send us questions for the show at news@indianapublicmedia.org.   

Note-This week, our guests and hosts will participate remotely to avoid risk of spreading infection.    

Guests   

Katharine Head- IUPUI associate professor of communications

Dr. Tom Hrisomalos- IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians provider, specializing in infectious disease

Graham McKeen- Assistant University Director of Public and Environmental Health at Indiana University

Amy Meek- RN program manager at IU Health