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Statement

CDC Approval of COVID-19 Vaccine Brings Hope to America’s Moms, Families

November 3, 2021
Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Felicia Burnett, National Director for Health Care at MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5 to 11:

“Nearly two years into a deadly pandemic that has upended life in America while taking 745,000 lives and infecting tens of millions, we are profoundly relieved that a safe, effective vaccine is now available for children ages 5 - 11. This vaccine will help safeguard the health of children and families, especially as we head into the colder months when people gather indoors much more. The vaccine the CDC approved yesterday will protect our kids from COVID, prevent hospitalizations and long-term COVID symptoms, and save lives. It holds the promise of allowing children to return in person to school, to sports and other extracurricular activities, and to simply being kids.

“This vaccine approval can bring relief for moms and parents who have been struggling with quarantines and school closures, in most cases without paid family and medical leave, and especially for moms who have been forced out of the workforce or unable to return to it because of their caregiving responsibilities. 

“We know that many parents are already setting up appointments for their children to be vaccinated and expect many more to do so in the weeks and months ahead. Approval of the children’s COVID-19 vaccine brings hope.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.