Last week, VRBPAC recommended and FDA authorized the COVID19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds. As per usual, the ball was then passed to ACIP today. ACIP is an external scientific advisory aboard to the CDC. The 15-person committee compromises a mix of pediatricians, clinicians, researchers, epidemiologists, and professors around the country with no conflicts of interest.
Thank you for this clear and useful information, as always! If at some point you are able to post an update about where we are on vaccines for those younger than 5, this mother of a 4 year old and an 8 month old would love to know!
Thank you!! So, we are starting to give the COVID vaccine in our office next weekend and getting lots of questions from the almost 12 year olds, so I really appreciate your clarifying that we should go ahead and give it now. I guess I'm still a little confused about what to do if they turn 12 between the doses--is it recommended to give the 12 year dose (30mcg) for the second dose but if not available do the 11 year dose (10mcg), or recommended to just finish the course with the same dose? I understand that it is not an "error" if we use the same dose (10mcg) for both, but just wondering what the best practice would be.
May I make one suggestion going forward -- can we ditch the "natural immunity" verbiage which makes the naysayers claim that vaccination is "artificial immunity" and that "natural immunity" is better, which it most definitely is not.
May I suggest "infection-acquired immunity" and "vaccine-acquired?" Smarter people than I could doubtless come up with better names.
Can I make some clarifications for Hep A since it might cause some confusion? While Hep A doesn’t cause severe illness in kids typically, they often have asymptotic cases (pre-vaccination) and easily spread it to others who are higher risk and have bad outcomes. It can also be spread up to two weeks prior to symptoms (and not everyone develops symptoms that are enough to test for it, so missed cases that continue to spread). Older and those with co-morbidities are at higher risk of bad outcomes which include hospitalization, needing a liver transplant, or death. Though the last two aren’t common, it still happens. Even small Hep A outbreaks are extremely costly and take up a lot of time and resources for already underfunded and understaffed health departments. So there are a a lot of similarities with this in COVID, as in kids *may* not be as severely effected but can be drivers of spread to those that are. It was enough to have it become a recommended/required childhood vaccination. Most adults are not vaccinated for it unless they got it for traveling purposes. I can share a 2013 MMWR that I was involved in for a Hep A outbreak pre- IVDU/homeless large outbreak if anyone is interested.
Thank you so much, you have been so helpful during this entire pandemic!
Can you help, I am ready to get my 7 and 8 year old vaccinated right away. My husband is a wait and see. He wants to see the risk profile for the vaccinated kids v the risk profile for these kids catching COVID. He is not saying no, but wants to see more data for the 5-11 vaccinated kids. Do you have any way I can counter the argument? Thank you :)
Thank you - such great content as always! Now if you could just make my county set up appts in advance ! 😬🤷🏼♀️ We are ready!!
Thank you for this clear and useful information, as always! If at some point you are able to post an update about where we are on vaccines for those younger than 5, this mother of a 4 year old and an 8 month old would love to know!
Thank you!! So, we are starting to give the COVID vaccine in our office next weekend and getting lots of questions from the almost 12 year olds, so I really appreciate your clarifying that we should go ahead and give it now. I guess I'm still a little confused about what to do if they turn 12 between the doses--is it recommended to give the 12 year dose (30mcg) for the second dose but if not available do the 11 year dose (10mcg), or recommended to just finish the course with the same dose? I understand that it is not an "error" if we use the same dose (10mcg) for both, but just wondering what the best practice would be.
Thank you, as always, for your clear summaries.
May I make one suggestion going forward -- can we ditch the "natural immunity" verbiage which makes the naysayers claim that vaccination is "artificial immunity" and that "natural immunity" is better, which it most definitely is not.
May I suggest "infection-acquired immunity" and "vaccine-acquired?" Smarter people than I could doubtless come up with better names.
Thank you so much for this!!!
Can I make some clarifications for Hep A since it might cause some confusion? While Hep A doesn’t cause severe illness in kids typically, they often have asymptotic cases (pre-vaccination) and easily spread it to others who are higher risk and have bad outcomes. It can also be spread up to two weeks prior to symptoms (and not everyone develops symptoms that are enough to test for it, so missed cases that continue to spread). Older and those with co-morbidities are at higher risk of bad outcomes which include hospitalization, needing a liver transplant, or death. Though the last two aren’t common, it still happens. Even small Hep A outbreaks are extremely costly and take up a lot of time and resources for already underfunded and understaffed health departments. So there are a a lot of similarities with this in COVID, as in kids *may* not be as severely effected but can be drivers of spread to those that are. It was enough to have it become a recommended/required childhood vaccination. Most adults are not vaccinated for it unless they got it for traveling purposes. I can share a 2013 MMWR that I was involved in for a Hep A outbreak pre- IVDU/homeless large outbreak if anyone is interested.
Dr Jetelina, cant thank you enough for this site. You have gotten me here, us here. My daughter got her first shot! Exhale halfway!
Last question for a bit ( i hope) : i scheduled her second for asap . Should i have waited!? Scheduled further out?! Thank you! 💕
Thank you so much, you have been so helpful during this entire pandemic!
Can you help, I am ready to get my 7 and 8 year old vaccinated right away. My husband is a wait and see. He wants to see the risk profile for the vaccinated kids v the risk profile for these kids catching COVID. He is not saying no, but wants to see more data for the 5-11 vaccinated kids. Do you have any way I can counter the argument? Thank you :)