Many doctors in New Hampshire are welcoming news that COVID-19 vaccines for younger children are one step closer, with Pfizer announcing Monday that it will soon seek authorization for its vaccine for use in children ages 5 to 11.Food and Drug Administration officials said that once they receive the data from Pfizer, they hope to determine within a few weeks if the vaccine is safe and effective in children under 12."I was very excited to see we're one step closer," said Bedford parent Jennifer Delisle.Delisle, the mother of a 9- and 11-year-old, said she sees the Pfizer vaccine as another tool to protect them. "We do a lot of activities. We do a lot of sports. We go on vacations," she said. "They're in school. They're in their classrooms, and they're in their classrooms with probably 50% of unmasked students."In a post on WMUR's Facebook page, reactions from parents to the news ranged from relief to fear, but those in the medical community were much more united in their response."It's a very logical next step," said Dr. Peter Wright, of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.There are still several steps to go, but some doctors said emergency use authorization of the vaccine will add another layer of protection from COVID-19 for younger children."In addition to that, children who are immunocompromised would now be able to return to their normal life in terms of education, sports, extra-curricular activities," said Dr. Sharon Vuppula, of St. Joseph Hospital.A trial was conducted on 2,268 children in kindergarten and elementary school. Vuppala said that while that might seem like a small sample, it's typical."When it comes to the children, a smaller sample study is looked at, so again, that is very common," she said.While studies show children usually don't get as sick from COVID-19, Wright said they do spread the virus."So, the ultimate control of COVID-19 may very well depend on our ability or success in getting children immunized," he said.As for possible side effects for children getting vaccinated, Wright said the risk is minimal."Knowing what we know about them, knowing the whole experience now, it's very extensive now, not only in clinical trials but in general use in adults," Wright said."I encourage parents to start asking their pediatricians the right questions and getting the answers they need," Vuppula said.Moderna is also studying the effects of its shot in younger school age children, and Pfizer and Moderna are studying the effects of their vaccines on children as young as 6 months old.