OHIO — Ohio is already preparing to roll out the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to ages 5-11, pending authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA is poised to meet on Oct. 26 to decide whether the shot is safe enough to be given emergency use authorization for age group, which is only given if the panel believes the benefits outweigh the risks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is then scheduled to meet Nov. 2-3 to recommend more specifics on administering the doses. 

In the meantime, the Ohio Department of Health is working with vaccine providers, pediatricians, family physicians, both adult and children’s hospitals, schools and pharmacies to roll out the vaccine to ages 5-11. 

"Ohio’s goal is to ensure fair, equitable distribution across the state so this important COVID-19 vaccine for younger Ohioans is available in each of Ohio’s 88 counties," ODH wrote in a press release Wednesday.

The Ohio Vax-to-School vaccine incentive program will also expand to include those ages. Currently, it is open to Ohioans who are 12-15 years old and they are eligible to win one of 150 $10,000 scholarships, or one of five $100,000 grand prize scholarships. The scholarships can be used at an Ohio college, university, technical/trade school or career program.

Earlier Wednesday, the Biden administration also announced plans for the potential authorization. The White House said it has secured enough doses to vaccinate the 28 million children who would become eligible for the vaccine. 

The White House said it would make the vaccine available at hundreds of schools and community-based sites, including children’s hospitals.