SHERIDAN — As of late last week, Northeast Wyoming Pediatric Associates and Sheridan County Public Health have started the rollout of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
In a joint statement sent to The Sheridan Press, Drs. Michael Sanderson, Suzanne Oss and Shauna Ejtehadi of Pediatric Associates, said 32 children were vaccinated Nov. 5 without complications or concerns. Additional multi-hour vaccination clinics are scheduled at Pediatric Associates over the coming weeks.
In addition, the Sheridan County Public Health Department is also administering the Pfizer vaccine to younger residents who are newly eligible for it and held its first walk-in clinic Nov. 11 with additional clinics scheduled Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings going forward.
The rollout of the vaccine for some of Sheridan County’s youngest residents comes after the recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The approvals follow months of clinical trials, which determined the vaccine provides 90% protection against COVID-19 among this age group.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children has the same ingredients as the vaccine used for older individuals but comes in a much smaller dose, the doctors at Pediatric Associates said. The dose is 10 micrograms, which is one-third of the dose used for older individuals. This smaller dose generates an antibody response similar to the higher vaccine dose for older children and adults.
The only children who should not receive the vaccine are those with an allergic reaction to a substance known as polyethylene-glycol, an ingredient in the vaccine that is often found in over-the-counter preparations used for softening stools in children and adults.
“Outside of the allergy to polyethylene-glycol, there is no child age 5 and up who shouldn’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine,” the doctors said. “Even in cases of severe chronic illness, such as children with heart transplants or cystic fibrosis, most specialists are still recommending… these children receive a COVID-19 vaccine.”
Most children will experience nothing more than a few common side effects — such as pain at the site of the injection, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches — after receiving the vaccine, the doctors said. Most children feel "back to normal" within a day or two.
The doctors said they frequently hear concerns of heart inflammation related to the vaccine, but the study that evaluated the safety of the vaccine did not demonstrate any cases of heart inflammation. In fact, heart inflammation is much more likely in children who are naturally infected by COVID-19.
Of the 877 reports of vaccine-related heart inflammation in individuals younger than 30 years old, none of them were fatal and the vast majority of cases were mild, the doctors said. On the other hand, one of the most feared complications of acute COVID-19 is an illness named multisystem inflammatory syndrome, which often involves a degree of heart inflammation that can lead to hospital admission and ICU-level care. There have been more than 5,200 cases of MIS-C to date, the doctors said. Children of all ages have contracted this complication.
“The evidence at this point is clear,” the doctors said. “It is much safer for children to receive an authorized COVID-19 vaccine than risk complications from a natural COVID-19 infection.”
To date, at least 791 children under age 18 have died from COVID-19 nationwide, including 172 children ages 5-11 years old, according to the CDC.This is just a fraction of the 759,000 people who have died from the virus nationwide.
While children are among those least impacted by the virus, the doctors still recommend it for almost all children who are newly eligible for it.
“As pediatricians, it is our firmly held belief that no child should die from a disease that is preventable by simply getting a shot, especially when that vaccine is as safe as this one has thus far demonstrated itself to be,” the doctors said.
The doctors noted the COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted the mental health of local children, particularly those who have lost parents, grandparents and loved ones to the virus. The doctors asked adults to consider the impact of that loss on their children before deciding whether they should receive the vaccine themselves.
“We have seen firsthand the devastating effects of this pandemic on the children of our community and can't help but wonder how things would change if parents took all of this into consideration when deciding whether or not to sign themselves or their child up for a COVID-19 vaccine,” the doctors said. “Most of us have either experienced great loss because of this virus, or know someone who has experienced great loss because of this virus. Safe and effective vaccines are the best way to minimize any further damage this pandemic could do to our community (so we can) move on to safer and happier times.”
As of Nov. 8, 42.07% of county residents had been fully vaccinated, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. This is above the statewide average of 40.3%, and Sheridan County is the fifth most-vaccinated county in the state, behind Teton (78.32%), Albany (50.17%), Hot Springs (45.12%) and Fremont (43.03%) counties.
Currently, only Pediatric Associates and Public Health are rolling out the vaccine for children. Sheridan Memorial Hospital, which continues to offer vaccinations for those 12 and older, is not providing the vaccine for younger children. In a media call with The Sheridan Press last week, Sheridan Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer John Addlesperger said it made sense to have local pediatricians lead the charge on the distribution to local kids.
“Having that contact with their primary care provider adds value to discussing what the needs are regarding vaccinating kids,” Addlesperger said. “…We just think it’s the best spot for them to get all the care they need around the vaccination.”
Vaccines can be scheduled by calling Northeast Wyoming Pediatric Associates during business hours at 307-675-5555. Sheridan County Public Health is accepting walk-in appointments Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings.
For those 12 and older, vaccines are available at Sheridan Memorial Hospital, Sheridan County Public Health, Hospital Pharmacy West, Albertsons, Walmart and Walgreens.To find a COVID-19 vaccine appointment near you, see vaccines.gov.
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November 13, 2021 at 06:15PM
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Local pediatricians recommend COVID-19 vaccine for almost all local kids, ages 5 to 11 - The Sheridan Press
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