Update as of November 2021: CDC and FDA now recommend children 5 years and older get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. A separate vaccine formulation for children ages 5 through 11 will be marked with an orange cap, and the vaccine will be administered with a smaller needle.
This blog has been updated according to recent recommendations.
We’re turning the corner on the pandemic. And now one of our last challenges lies in front of us- getting children vaccinated for COVID-19.
On November 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the use for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children from 5 years of age and older. Pfizer’s shot is the first to be cleared in the United States for children.
If you are still skeptical about whether or not to vaccinate your child, let’s explore some ways to ease those doubts.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They have been used under the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history, which includes studies in children and adolescents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children 5 and older should get the vaccine.
Sure, even if your children aren’t vaccinated, there are ways to help them stay safe from the virus. But there’s still a risk. The coronavirus travels through the air in droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. It’s hard to avoid the virus in those cases. However, a vaccination adds that extra level of security and safety.
While fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, children are still susceptible. Most children with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, some children can get severely ill. The vaccine is a great remedy for avoiding severe cases.
Children are definitely a factor when it comes to COVID-19 transmission. While some children can get very ill, most are not considered to be as vulnerable to the coronavirus as adults. But children can certainly become infected and pass the virus to older people. Vaccinations can break that chain of transmission.
We strongly suggest that your children get the COVID-19 vaccine. It has a safe track record and has proven remarkably effective in both stopping serious complications and preventing transmission. In addition, the sooner we can get children vaccinated, the sooner we can all return to normal.
CMC Fresno will be scheduling COVID-19 vaccination for children 5 years of age and above. If you’re planning to immunize your child with the COVID-19 vaccine, visit www.cmcfresno.com or call us at (559) 455-1500 to learn more.
