American health officials said Sunday that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine appears to be safe and effective for children under 5. Children under 5 is the only group not yet able to be vaccinated for the coronavirus in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, shared its findings of the Pfizer shot ahead of a meeting this coming Wednesday. There, outside experts will vote on whether the shots are ready for the nation’s 18 million babies and young children. Late last week, the FDA published a similar study of Moderna’s shots for children under 6. If health officials approve the shots by one or both companies, vaccinations could begin as soon as next week. Some parents have been pressing U.S. officials for months for the chance to protect their smallest children. The pressure has increased as fewer adults are now wearing face coverings or following other public health measures. In the U.S., only about 3 percent of COVID cases are in the age group of 6 months to 4 years. But the FDA found hospitalization and death rates in that group are higher than those for older children.