El Paso County has shown a keen interest in pediatric vaccines | Subscriber-only content

Parents in El Paso County have shown a keen interest in the COVID-19 vaccine for their children, with more than 1,800 children between the ages of 5 and 11 receiving their first injections in the first few days of deployment. ..

Dr. Michael Distefano, Chief Medical Officer of Colorado Children’s Hospital, outlined the importance of pediatric vaccines to local officials at this week’s El Paso County Health Commission meeting, and children were infected with the spread of the delta variant. I pointed out that it is easy. Before. He faced some skeptical questions during the meeting, followed by hours of public testimony to the board, which questioned vaccines and pushed back vaccine obligations. El Paso County officials said they did not intend to issue a power of attorney.

Di Stéfano explained the rise in COVID-19, stating that he accounted for 5% of infectious diseases early in the pandemic and now 25%. Most children do not get sick with the virus, but he treated a child who developed dyspnea, among other complications.

“It wasn’t as benign as the average person thinks,” he said.

The children’s hospital system has taken care of about 2,000 children’s COVIDs and their complications since the pandemic began. This includes multiple children who were sent from Corona Springs to the system’s cardiac intensive care unit because of the condition that developed as a result of COVID. -19 infections, he said. These cases include children with long-term complications from viruses such as chronic fatigue. About 4% of children experience COVID-19 symptoms for 4 weeks, and 1.8% have symptoms for more than 8 weeks, he said in an email.

“Children are resilient to this, but challenging from a care perspective,” Di Stéfano said.

In El Paso County, public health data show that three COVID-19 patients between the ages of 10 and 19 died from the virus.

The children’s hospital participated in a clinical trial of the Pfizer vaccine for children, enrolling 252 participants, or about 10% of children worldwide. According to Distefano, the vaccine is safe and has been shown to be nearly 91% effective in preventing infections in 5 to 11 people.

Colorado Springs City Councilor Dave Donelson asked some questions about the risks of the vaccine, including whether it could cause inflammation of the heart wall.

Distefano said in an email that the vaccine trial showed that children aged 5 to 11 had zero cases of carditis. Teens experienced several cases of inflammation, most of which were mild and recovered in a day or two.

He said he was unaware of the children in need of hospital treatment after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado Springs. The children’s hospital treated several children aged 12 to 15 years who had heart inflammation after vaccination, but all cases were mild and the patients returned home, he said.

He also said he plans to vaccinate his own 10-year-old daughter after she recovers from COVID.

El Paso County began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to 5 to 11 people last weekend, reaching 1,819 children by the end of Monday, said Michelle Vail, a county public health spokeswoman.

“So far, there has been a keen interest in pediatric vaccines in El Paso County, and clinics will soon fill up. Many parents are reassured that they have the opportunity to vaccinate their children. I’m doing it, “she said.

Throughout the county, children between the ages of 5 and 11 also experience the most new cases each day on average, compared to other age groups, she said.

By immunizing children, Di Stéfano protects older families and those around them who may have weakened their immune system from conditions such as cancer.

It can also give children social opportunities, which helps to ensure normal development and physical and mental health, he said.

Numerous pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinics are available.A complete list is available at elpasocountyhealth.org/how-can-i-get-a-vaccine..