COVID vaccine for children may be available in Oregon on Friday: What you need to know

When Garrett Murray told his son he was planning a surprise for his next birthday, he shouted with excitement and hope when he was nine years old. COVID vaccination? “

Looking back on a recent conversation, Northeast Portland’s dad said, “I’m a little crazy because I don’t think my child wants it as a gift.”

Murray explained to his son that he wasn’t surprised at what he was talking about. But yes, the boy listening to the conversation and his 7-year-old brother will probably be eligible for the first COVID-19 vaccination within a few days.

“Yeah!” Exclaimed Murray’s seven-year-old kid.

For many families like Murray, the future development of shots for children aged 5 to 11 represents the long-awaited next step in the pandemic. All adults in Oregon are eligible to be vaccinated from April, but many school-aged children have had to wait. The veil of concern is about to be lifted.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set up to pave the way for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinations against this group of young children on Tuesday or Wednesday. Oregon Health Department officials say it could be a few days later, perhaps Friday, before the first shot gets into the arms of Oregon’s elementary school children.

It has approximately 330,000 eligible children in Oregon and 28 million nationwide, is in high demand in some families and is expected to be absent in others.

Here’s what you need to know:

If the CDC approves an elementary school shot on Tuesday, why can’t my kid get a shot that same day?

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine needs to pass many layers of government approval.On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration Gave Green light. The CDC Immunization Implementation Advisory Board will review vaccine safety and efficacy data and make recommendations on Tuesday. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, needs to approve. In the case of Oregon, the Western State Scientific Safety Review Workgroup needs to be blessed and finally approved by Governor Kate Brown.

Given the data that vaccines are safe and highly effective for this age group, approval is expected to successfully pass these last steps. However, it can take a day or a few days for Oregon to increase vaccination.

How can I make a reservation?

Many health systems, pediatrician offices, and pharmacies have not yet booked for ages 5-11, but say they will start booking as soon as Oregon permits the start of vaccination. Be. These health care systems include four major areas in the Portland region. Kaiser Permanente, Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy health And Providence Health & Services. Click the link to access the booking and information pages.

Anyone who is not a patient of these major health care systems can be vaccinated in the clinic. Vaccinations are free and do not require health insurance, but in many cases reservations are required.

Portland Public School Presentation We plan to hold vaccination clinics at eight schools in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, but the dates have not yet been announced.

Federal website, Vaccine.gov, And the Oregon Department of Health website, getvaccinated.oregon.gov / List vaccination locations throughout the region.

Is there an outdoor vaccination site?

So far, OHSU and Providence have stated that they may offer drive-through vaccination sites. OHSU is currently offering booster shots for adults at the drive-through Portland Expo Center, which says it has the potential to extend to children.

Providence also plans to offer three drive-through sites, but hasn’t shared the details yet.

Is there enough vaccine to meet the demand?

Yes, the first dose has already arrived in Oregon, according to Oregon Health Department officials.

The federal government has shipped 120,000 initial doses to the Oregon Department of Health, with an additional 60,000 sent directly to pharmacies for children ages 5-11. The dose is tailored specifically for young children, one-third of the amount of vaccine received by adolescents and adults.

The first shipment is expected to meet current demand. NS Survey by Kaiser Family Foundation In late September, it was discovered that one-third of parents plan to vaccinate their elementary school children “immediately.” There are 330,000 children in this age group in Oregon, and 110,000 are likely to be vaccinated on the first day of rollout. In other words, 180,000 doses should be sufficient to cover the demand. The Oregon Department of Health says it will be possible to order more doses starting next week. This will ensure that a second shot is provided to all children.

How likely is it that your child will be vaccinated in the first few days?

It depends on which part of the state you live in. There may be high demand in areas with a high proportion of adults, such as the Portland region, the northern Oregon Coast, Pork, Benton, and Deshutes County.

The state distributes the first wave of infant vaccine shipments to 350 healthcare providers across all counties. Every provider who requested the vaccine has some. In addition, 87 pharmacies are shipping.

Oregon Health officials say the demand may be high, but most kids should be able to get their first shot in the first few weeks. Conversely, you may not have to wait in low-vaccination counties, generally in southern and eastern Oregon.

In any case, authorities are hoping to avoid the huge log jams in February and March, when older Oregons struggled to get promises in a limited supply.

The vacation is just around the corner. Will my child be fully vaccinated by then?

Children aged 5 to 11 should be vaccinated twice, as are adults aged 12 to 17 and already eligible children who have been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The second dose is designed to be given 3 weeks after the first dose. It will take another two weeks for the recipient to be considered fully vaccinated. This means that young children who get their first shot on the first day of Oregon’s deployment could be fully inoculated by mid-December.

What is the expected role of vaccine controversy among some parents?

This can be important. This means that people between the ages of 5 and 11 are the least vaccinated of all age groups. A significant number of parents are hesitant because children are generally very unlikely to suffer from the serious side effects of COVID-19. Often there are no symptoms or very mild symptoms such as a runny nose.

According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, most parents across the country were not expected to jump into the chance to vaccinate their young children. One-third of parents said they “want to wait” to see how the vaccine works for children aged 5-11. The remaining one-third of parents said their children would receive COVID-19 shots “only when needed” or at all.

Why am I vaccinated my child?

At the social level, experts say that vaccination of children is an important tool for eradicating COVID-19 infection. In contrast to earlier studies Recent research Seems to be as likely to infect children as those of adults, showing that they are much better Infection spread I was thinking about it before.

Children currently account for about a quarter of COVID-19 cases, according to the report. American Pediatric Society..

At the individualistic level, there are concerns about the potential effects of long-term COVID on infected children, from weakened lungs to fog in the brain, and research is still needed. According to the CDC, thousands of children have been hospitalized and 691 have died in the United States. 8,300 children aged 5 to 11 have been hospitalized and 146 have died.

How safe and effective are vaccines aged 5-11?

A study of 3,100 children in this age group showed that Pfizer-BioNTech was approximately 91% effective in preventing symptomatic infections. The trial found no serious side effects.

A rare risk of heart inflammation known as myocarditis has been identified, especially in adolescents and young men, but medical professionals say it is also very treatable and the risk of getting COVID-19 is with children. People than vaccines say they pose a greater risk to the heart of young people. Signs of heart problems include chest pain, shortness of breath, throbbing, and fluttering heartbeats.

How do I get a young child ready for a shot?

If you are a family member who has restricted activities due to a pandemic, you can probably talk about how vaccination allows re-entry of previously restricted activities. .. If your child goes to school directly, another motivational factor may be the prospect of not having to quarantine at home if exposed to someone with COVID-19.

If your child is afraid of shots, it may help share the news: COVID-19 immunity to this group uses smaller needles than immunity to adolescents and adults.

Before the pandemic, Murray, a father in northeastern Portland, said his two sons would be defeated by “fear and panic” and “begging” when it was time to get vaccinated against the flu each year. He said it had been done. But now that they can imagine the real benefits of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, they are keen to receive shots.

They know that vaccination with COVID-19 can bring their lives back to normal. Even trips to indoor spaces such as arcades and bowling alleys.

“We feel pretty good about starting 2022 with the whole family in full protection,” Murray said. It feels like the light at the end of the tunnel. “

-Amy Green; [email protected]; @o_aimee