Vaccinating Young Children

Vaccinating Young Children

Julia Payne, Writer

The vaccine for children 5 to 12 could be approved as soon as late October to early November. Pfizer is currently on stage two of three in the approval process.

Stage two is when they begin actual testing on real children in that age range. Pfizer must get approval from the CDC, Center for Disease Control, before they can make the vaccine available to the public. The CDC determines who gets the vaccine and when. 

Many parents are reportedly hesitant about whether to get their young children vaccinated or not.

Kaitlin Mussomeli, a registered nurse and care coordinator in the Covid-19 division at Holy Spirit Hospital in Pennsylvania said that people can still get the virus when vaccinated. But, she also said that the majority of people coming into the hospitals are unvaccinated. 

Mussomeli mentioned that some people may not be able to get vaccinated because of medical reasons. She said that parents should consult their child’s pediatrician to get a second opinion before vaccination. 

Kaitlin Mussomeli also mentions that viruses are smart and they mutate. Every year a different version of the flu vaccine is made to deal with any new mutations of the virus. Since coronavirus is recent, health care officials are working tirelessly to find the most effective vaccine. 

CNN states that the vaccine can be given out as soon as it is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) approved and it is supplied in pediatrician offices. This could happen as early as around Halloween or by early November.