Coronavirus Vaccine Updates: Pfizer says it's testing vaccine on babies, young children

NEW YORK (WABC) -- There's a new step towards vaccinating children against COVID, a trial involving babies and young children is underway.

Pfizer says its vaccine is now being tested on children as young as six months old.

"When we weigh the risk with getting the virus, it's clear, let's get the vaccine," said Otavio Good, father.

The California couple's seven-month-old son will take part in the trial this week.

His 1-year-old brother was the first in his age group to start the trial.

"He had a sore arm for a day, was a little low energy for a day, but that's it," said Zinaida Good, mother.

In the meantime, the CDC says more than 50% of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.

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Here are more of today's headlines:

Yale will require students to be vaccinated

Yale has joined a growing list of universities that are requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning in the fall.

The university's president and provost made the announcement Monday in an email to the Yale community. They urged students to get their shots as soon as possible, calling inoculation "the strongest tool for preventing transmission of the virus."

Reasonable exceptions will be made for religious or medical reasons, and Yale will vaccinate any students in the fall who could not get access to the vaccine this summer.

Connecticut lifting restrictions

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Connecticut will lift all business restrictions on May 19, except for indoor masking.

All remaining businesses with restrictions will return to 100% capacity in a two-step process:

-On May 1, business curfew will be moved back to midnight, outdoor restrictions will be lifted and alcohol will be allowed without food.

-On May 19, all remaining business restrictions will end. DPH will issue recommendations for safe operation of indoor and large outdoor events, but indoor masking will continue.

Cuomo announces capacity increases for zoos, museums, arenas

Capacity at zoos and museums in New York State will increase to 50% starting April 26. Movie theaters will also be allowed to increase their capacity to 33% on April 26. Meantime, indoor large arenas can increase their capacity to 25% starting on May 19.

Columbia University mandates vaccines for students on campus in the fall

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger and the Columbia University COVID Task Force announced they have decided to make the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all students who are present on campus starting this fall.

"We will provide religious and medical exemptions, as we do for the influenza and measles vaccines, in accordance with New York State public health laws," the university said in a statement.

American Museum of Natural History to be a COVID vaccination site

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the American Museum of Natural History will open Friday as a COVID-19 vaccination site in New York City. The site will focus initially on people who work in cultural institutions.

Vaccine eligibility to expand in NJ

New Jersey residents ages 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID vaccine starting Monday. 16 and 17-year-olds will need a parent or guardian to pre-register on their behalf. Anyone pre-registering is encouraged to provide an e-mail address to allow for a faster registration process. Governor Phil Murphy stated the current pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will not impact expanding eligibility.

How many people in your area are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Most states have opened up COVID-19 vaccination to everyone 16 and older, but not everyone is lining up to get the shot. With the recent temporary pause on the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, doctors worry about an increase in vaccine hesitancy that may not be warranted. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, the CDC found that as many as a third of adults in some areas reported being hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. These rates are highest in the states of Wyoming and North Dakota, and lowest in Massachusetts, Vermont and California.

When did you realize the COVID pandemic changed everything?

Many of us had a moment, most often occurring in March 2020, when we realized that COVID-19 had completely changed our lives forever. Even though we've managed to move forward and adapt to a new normal, that memory still sticks with us. Tell us: What was that moment to you?

Top 7 COVID vaccine questions answered

You had questions about COVID-19 vaccines and 7 On Your Side is getting you answers from doctors on the front line of the pandemic.

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