Covid-19 vaccines for kids are finally a reality in the US. The CDC gave the final clearance passed for kids between the ages of 5 to 11. The decision is the first opportunity for children in America to get the protection of the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 11 in the US
Health officials in the US on Thursday did the final signoff on Pfizer’s kid-sized COVID-19 shot. The milestone goes miles in the effort of expanding the vaccine campaign in the US as children as small as 5 can get vaccinated. The move is also appreciated by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that vaccination for the little ones will start “as soon as possible”.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of CDC reveals that the Covid-19 vaccines for kids were approved unanimously by the panel. “As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated,” said Walensky. The vaccine given to children between 5 to 11 years old will be two low doses with a three-week gap between doses. While the schedule is the same, the kid-sized vaccine will accompany a smaller needle.
“Turning point” for the vaccination campaign and population
President Joe Biden called the move by health officials “a turning point”. “It will allow parents to end months of anxious worrying about their kids, and reduce the extent to which children spread the virus to others. It is a major step forward for our nation in our fight to defeat the virus,” said Biden. After all, there have been over 8,300 covid related hospitalizations of kids in the 5 to 11 age group. And, government data reveals that out of them over 30 percent required intensive care. While death reports are under investigation, the CDC has recorded a minimum of 94 deaths so far.
Pfizer’s kid-sized vaccine was studied in 2,268 children and showed about 91 percent efficacy. Additionally, the FDA examined a total of 3,100 children and concluded that the vaccine was safe. The children experience similar to fewer reactions compared to adults. However, symptoms like aches, fever, and sore arms were less. The risk of some sort of bad heart involvement is much higher if you get COVID than if you get this vaccine. After all, COVID is much riskier to the heart,” explained Dr. Matthew Oster. Dr. Oster is a pediatric cardiologist at Emory University.