A topic that continues to stay in the news (and in our exam rooms with our Parkside families) is children and the coronavirus. Many questions are still circulating about kids and the COVID-19 vaccine and I think we all want to know more information about the population in our country who remains ineligible to receive the vaccine—our kids under 12 years of age.
Here’s an update regarding your kid and the COVID-19 vaccine no matter what their age…
Children and the Covid-19 Vaccine
- Parkside supports the use of vaccines and that includes the vaccines developed for the coronavirus. If you want to learn more about the process these vaccines go through before they become available to the public, read more here.
- Currently children 12 yrs of age and older are eligible to get the vaccine and we are happy to have them available at our practice (Pfizer for 12+ and Moderna for 18+). You can schedule a vaccine appointment for anyone in your family online…they don’t even have to be a patient!
- Though not as soon as we hoped, we are closer than ever at having a vaccine for our younger children. According to a new study, Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine has been proven safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11 at one-third of the dose used in adolescents and adults. The FDA is likely to authorize emergency use of this vaccine for kids 5-11 years of age within the next 4-8 weeks.
- If your child is immunocompromised, we do encourage you to talk to your primary provider for further questions. You can also read more information about how the actual COVID-19 vaccine is created, tested, and the risks/rewards involved here.
We know this continues to be a strange time. A time filled with fear and uncertainty to say the least. Know that we are here in this parenting journey with you and welcome all questions surrounding the coronavirus and your child.
Until next time,
Dr. Stephen Jones
Parkside Provider, father of three, and aspiring chicken farmer
