Texas children ages 5-11 get COVID-19 shots after CDC emergency permit

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For months, Pearland’s National Association of Realtors member Gerald Hatter was worried about the news that her 11-year-old daughter, Bella Hatter, would be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Wednesday the day after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved With the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use for children aged 5-11 years, Bella received her first dose. She is one of 2.9 million children in that young age group who are currently vaccinated in Texas.

“It’s liberating,” Hatter said. “My daughter was the last vaccinated person in the family because the rest of us were already protected, so every time I went somewhere, it was still a kind of anxiety. . “

Mom and daughter, along with Dad Ron Hatter, are Memorial Hermann at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, one of the state’s more than 900 providers giving more than one million doses to young Texas children. went to. An additional 349,200 dose will be delivered to Texas pharmacies through the Federal Pharmacy Program. according to To Texas Health Department.

To find a vaccine for you or your child, the CDC has set up a national vaccine finder that you can search by zip code, here..

The CDC’s emergency permit came shortly before the annual holiday gathering, although the wave of Texas’ deadly third coronavirus was delayed. Texas hospitalizations have decreased by 666 cases compared to a week ago.The number of new cases and the number of deaths drop..

More than 70,000 Texas people have died from the coronavirus, including 22 children between the ages of 5 and 11, according to Texas Health Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstett. Another 118 children infected with COVID-19 have been diagnosed with a multisystem inflammatory syndrome that can cause inflammation of parts of the body such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain.

“Pediatric vaccines help further reduce the spread of the disease and prevent the rare but serious complications of COVID-19 in this age group,” said Hellerstedt. news release..

This week, reservations quickly filled up for the first pediatric dose. According to health system spokesman Bill Phillips, the 1,100 slots available on Thursday and Friday at University Health in San Antonio were fully reserved.

In Galveston, the University of Texas Medical Branch opened a booking system on Wednesday afternoon. According to Jenny Lanier, UTMB’s director of outpatient services, 575 reservations were scheduled within 24 hours. According to Lanier, UTMB has 6,000 pediatric vaccines available this week, with more vaccines coming.

Vaccination of this young age group poses some new challenges from previous vaccination developments.

The provider said it is paying attention to making the process more child-friendly. In University Health, it means a lollipop bowl, a sticker, and two therapy dogs. UTMB provided an iPad and fidget spinner for kids to hold while waiting. UTMB spokesman Lanier said the hospital system provided additional pediatric training last month because young children may not respond very warmly to the vaccine.

“We did everything we could think of to help these little kids really calm down,” said Phillips.

Vaccine providers are also working to shoot ammunition into areas where children and their parents do not have easy access to transportation.

Starting Monday, Austin Public Health’s Shots for Tots Clinic will provide vaccines to uninsured children or children who are recipients of Medicaid. Two walk-in clinics in Austin, one at the Delco Activity Center and the other at the old Sims Elementary, have extended their business hours. APH too Add a clinic to your schoolPriority is given to areas where access to vaccines is restricted.

Health officials are also considering providing a vaccine between school drop-offs and pick-ups so parents can be present, said Chris Krucom, who manages the Austin Public Health Immune Unit. said.

As the holiday season approaches and people gather with their families, Crookham emphasized that vaccination protects not only individuals, but everyone around them.

Hatter said they would be able to visit older families as she, her husband, and all three of her daughters were vaccinated. Looking at each other from a distance outside last November, she said, “It wasn’t a hug.”

“This allows us to go on vacation to Ohio and stay around older families who were worried about bringing their children,” Hatter said. “We will still take precautions to ensure the care of the elderly in the family.”