The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to recommend the emergency use authorization of Pfizer's vaccine for children under 11 years old has school districts across the Valley gearing up for what comes next. 

"We think that when we vaccinate the little ones, we think that COVID is going to be a thing of the past," Superintendent for the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District Dr. Mario Salinas said. "God willing."

Salinas says he's optimistic about what the road ahead may look like if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives the child-size dose of the vaccine the green light. 

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A CDC advisory panel will meet next Tuesday to vote on recommending the vaccine before the CDC director makes the final call. 

"With the little ones— 11 to 5," Salinas said, "If the parents want their child vaccinated, they will have to come to our vaccine sites."

Officials at Edinburg CISD say they've preordered doses of the vaccine for younger children and will be ready to administer the doses once they're approved.

"You know, sometimes they're going to be skeptical still, but we feel that at least 50 percent of the eligible children will vaccinate," Salinas said. "If not, we'll vaccinate others from the community, not necessarily our students." 

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