The CDC has recently announced that children under 5 will be able to receive coronavirus vaccines within weeks. Soon, children aged 6 months and older will be eligible to receive one of two FDA approved vaccines: Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech. This is instrumental in helping decrease the prevalence and severity of the coronavirus in the United States. Starting Friday June 24th, doses will begin shipping and millions of kids will have access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Response from Families and Health Officials
Many families are extremely grateful for the release of COVID-19 vaccines for their children. As more in person gatherings and events take place, it has been hard for families with children under 5 to participate. Fears of their child getting sick or passing the coronavirus to an immunocompromised family member are very common for these families. However, the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to children will hopefully alleviate these fears and bring families closer together.
Moreover, healthcare workers have been working on public campaigns to promote coronavirus vaccination for everyone. Also, a large percentage of the US population has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. Health officials hope that the emergence of child-friendly vaccines will increase vaccine uptake for all age groups.
Vaccine Availability
COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 may become available in pediatrician’s offices as early as Monday June 27th. Therefore, parents should look now to make vaccination appointments for their children. The widespread vaccination of children under 5 against the coronavirus will help protect families from child sickness or death caused by the virus.
Furthermore, Joe Biden and his administration have revealed that they will set up pop-up vaccination clinics for children under 5. Most likely, libraries and children’s museums will host these pop-up clinics. Parents will therefore have several options on where they can go to get their child their COVID-19 vaccine.
Future Steps
It is extremely important that families remain updated on guidelines and resources to protect their children against COVID-19. Medical officials expect that there will be more variants of the coronavirus. Since COVID-19 is expected to continue to be a health issue, it is important that parents do their best to stay informed and vigilant in fighting the virus. Currently, the best way parents can do this is by vaccinating their children when doses become available. Vaccines.gov is a great resource parents can use to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children.
Since the CDC made their announcement, the United States will be the first country to offer a COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5. Hopefully other nations follow suit to ensure their young populations are protected against the coronavirus.
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References:
The Washington Post (2022, June 18). Coronavirus vaccines for kids under 5 are finally here. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/06/18/cdc-coronavirus-vaccine-young-children/
