It’s been about a month since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first OK’d Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 and nearly seven months since the vaccine was approved for kids and teens 12 and older, which happened back in May.
Still, only 18.7% of Prince William County kids between the ages of 5 and 11 have received their first dose of the vaccine, while about 68% of local kids and teens between 12 and 15 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Prince William County is trailing the state in getting 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated, as about 22% of Virginians in that age group have received their first dose statewide. The county is doing better with 12- to 15-year-olds, as only 59.7% of Virginians in that age group have received both shots, compared to the 68% in Prince William County.
Some parents remain hesitant about vaccinating their children against COVID-19 despite the consistent recommendation to do so from both doctors and public health officials, especially as the country prepares for the possible spread of the new omicron variant.
The Prince William Times asked UVA Community Health to address some of the questions parents still have about the vaccine. The following are answers from Dr. Vivian Nzedu, of UVA Pediatrics Manassas.
Q: Why should parents vaccinate their children aged 5 to 11 against COVID-19? If this is a “new normal,” then why should children be vaccinated now?
Dr. Nzedu: Parents should still have their eligible children vaccinated because, while children 5- to 11-years-old might not be as likely to get severely ill from COVID-19, it can still happen -- even now. Conditions such as asthma, obesity and developmental delays also increase the chances of a child being hospitalized from COVID-19.
Parents should consider that as of mid-October 2021, almost 700 children and teens up to age 17 had died from COVID-19 [nationwide]. Right now, COVID-19 ranks as one of the top 10 causes of death for children ages 5 through 11.
By early October 2021, more than 5,200 cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) had been diagnosed, resulting in 50 deaths. MIS-C develops two to six weeks after having COVID-19 and can occur even after a mild infection. It tends to be more severe in adolescents and teens, and six to seven of every 10 people affected are estimated to be placed in the intensive care unit. MIS-C can also affect heart function.
Additionally, the 5- to 11-year age group can transmit the COVID virus to vulnerable family and community members, such as those who are unable to get the vaccine. Vaccinating children will reduce this silent spread effect.
Finally, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, COVID-19 cases in children are up 32% from two weeks ago. The number of cases among children is still extremely high. Vaccination of children is still necessary now.
Q: Is the Pfizer vaccine safe for children?
Dr. Nzedu: Yes, the Pfizer mRNA vaccine has been found to be remarkably safe and effective for children and has thus received emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.
Tens of thousands of volunteers were enrolled in the clinical trials for the vaccine. Even now, clinical trials are underway to study whether children as young as six months old could receive COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The CDC says that COVID-19 vaccines will have the “most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.”
Q: Are side effects such as fever, fatigue, headache and chills likely to occur in children? Are they a reason to not get children vaccinated?
Dr. Nzedu: The benefits of the COVID vaccine far outweigh the bad side effects. Consider that contracting COVID can cause severe disease or death. Some children develop pneumonia or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which may affect heart function or long-lasting effects (long COVID), resulting in symptoms that last weeks or months even when the virus can no longer be detected in the body.
Yes, there are possible side effects from the vaccine, such as those mentioned. These are generally milder and less frequent in the 5- to 11-year-old age group. Other possible side effects include swelling of lymph nodes under the arm where the vaccine was given, or anaphylaxis (which occurs in three to five out of 1 million people).
Myocarditis, though uncommon, was seen mostly in males ages 16 to 29 years within a few days of the second dose. Studies have shown that the risk of myocarditis in the 5-to-11-year group was six to 34 times higher after a COVID infection than after mRNA vaccine.
If your child gets an anaphylactic or severe allergic reaction, they should not get a second dose of the same vaccine. Please talk to your pediatrician about this.
The Pfizer vaccine does not contain eggs or latex. Data about side effects are being collected by the CDC and should be reported. You can use your smartphone to tell the CDC about any side effects after your child gets the COVID-19 vaccine using the “v-safe app.” You will also get reminders if your child needs an additional dose of the vaccine. The v-safe app offers a personalized check-in (but not medical advice) after the COVID vaccination.
Q: My child is a petite 5-year-old, and I feel like the dose would be too much for her system. Should I wait to vaccinate until she is older or bigger?
Dr. Nzedu: No, you should not wait. The COVID-19 vaccine dosage, unlike many medications, does not vary by patients’ weight but instead is based on age and the body's maturity to mount a strong immune response.
The vaccine trials addressed vaccine doses across many ages to determine the safest dose with the largest immune response and the least amount of side effects. Children 5- to 11-years receive an age-appropriate dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine.
Q: Is the vaccine formulated for the previous strain of COVID and not the Delta variant which we are dealing with now? Seems like it's already outdated. Should I still get it for my kid?
Dr. Nzedu: We recommend giving the Pfizer COVID vaccine to kids for the protection it offers. The COVID vaccines that are available in the U.S., including the Pfizer vaccines approved for children, are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death, including against the Delta variant.
Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine given three weeks apart is the recommended dosage. Children 5 to 11 years receive two 10-microgram doses. By comparison, kids age 12 and older receive two 30-microgram doses. This smaller dose works just as well in children because their immune system is quite robust.
Dr. Vivian Nzedu is a board-certified pediatrician with interests in acute care and ambulatory care pediatrics. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has cared for children for more than two decades.
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December 02, 2021 at 01:51AM
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Local pediatrician: 'Vaccination of children is necessary now' - Prince William Times
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