Tonya L. Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, MPH
Children & COVID-19. Children are not likely to be infected, but since the Delta variant is so contagious, more children get infected, get sick, and spread the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control(CDC), to date, there have been over 94,000 children hospitalized with COVID-19. Unfortunately, approximately 400 children have died from COVID-19. Yet, only 39% of children between 16-17 year old and 27% of them between 12-15 year old have been fully vaccinated.
Children & COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation
The CDC recommends that children 12 and older get vaccinated to help protect against COVID-19, but check with your child’s doctor. This is not medical advice and is only CDC recommendations. Everyone is different, and you need to get your medical advice from your doctor on the Pfizer vaccine because it’s the only one approved for children. Keep in mind, research is ongoing to determine if other vaccines could be used, but so far, Pfizer is the only one for children.
The COVID-19 vaccination has not been approved for children under 11 years old and younger. Research is being done to determine if the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for children 5-11 years old. According to some experts, we should know if children 11 and younger should be vaccinated by the end of the year.
Where to Get a Vaccine for Children
You can get your child vaccinated at your child’s doctor’s office if the vaccine is available. Unfortunately, most doctor offices do not have the vaccine due to the strict requirements for vaccine storage. My kids are grown, and I have a grandbaby who is three years old and not eligible for the vaccine.
If my kids were 12-17 years old, I would not hesitate to get them vaccinated at a drug store for the following reasons: 1) I know the Drug store would have an EpiPen readily available if there was an allergic reaction, 2) I have my phone to call 911 if there was an emergency, which most doctor’s office would do anyways, and 3) there is usually no long waiting in line to get the vaccine, instead of waiting in the doctor’s office.
One particular doctor decided to get her teens vaccinated. See the reasons why and first-hand reactions from her kids at this link.
Masks and Children Under 12
The CDC recommends that children 2 and 12 wear a mask in public spaces and around people they don’t live with.