ABC6: Vaccines For Kids Now Available

Some are saying it is the critical game changer for the country in the battle against COVID-19. Vaccines are now available for children ages five to 11. Parents are booking vaccine appointments for their children and many are saying it is giving them piece of mind they have been waiting for.

Ben Bring, DO, family medicine physician with OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital says the test data leading up to the date of rollout has been positive.

“The best thing is to call your pediatrician or family doctor, I know our office will be stocking those vaccines,” said Dr. Bring in an interview with ABC6. “Also, calling around to different pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, Kroger should have those vaccines in stock.”

Following the FDA’s authorization of emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine in kids ages five to 11 years old, the CDC and advisory committees made the final decision to move forward.

“(It is) just shy of 91 percent effectiveness in preventing COVID-19, which is amazing,” said Dr. Bring.

Dr. Bring said the Pfizer vaccine used for kids five to 11 will be a lower dosage.

“The adult dose is 30 micrograms for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Bring. “Pediatric dose, which is ages five to 11, is a ten-microgram dose.”

The testing was vigorous with this age group. Dr. Bring said just as you would after your vaccine, you should monitor your child in the immediate minutes following the vaccine. However, he said small side effects could happen including low-grade fever, body aches and fatigue.

“Really, the only indication or reason why you shouldn’t get the vaccine currently, is if you had a severe allergic allergy to a vaccine previously,” said Dr. Bring. “The incidents of this have been one in several millions of reactions,” said Dr. Bring “So, that’s where you can get a nerve injury from the vaccine. But again, it’s very, very, very rare.”

As for the rollout, Dr. Bring says that the indication points to a very similar format as with adults.

“As it stands right now, with our adults, we get new doses brought in every week. The reason is because of the way these mRNA vaccines are stored,” said Dr. Bring. “So, every week we’ll get a new stockpile and I’m sure they will be stored in the same manner for the children.”

To view the full story from ABC6, click here.