COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 5-11 Years Old: What You Need to Know

November 16, 2021 12:30 PM

Recently, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been released. Allowed for children 5-11 years old.. As of today, 193 million people over the age of 12 are safely vaccinated in the United States. Although it is unlikely that infants will die or be hospitalized with COVID-19, recent statistics show why pediatricians and health professionals at the University of Utah favor vaccines for adolescents. .. Children.

In the United States:

• Children The possibility of getting infected is the same. With coronavirus as an adult.
• There was more 8,300 Hospitalization of children aged 5 to 11 years with COVID-19.
• 32% Of these children, there was no fundamental condition.
• at least 94 Children in this age group died of COVID-19.
• 1,800 The school was closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in August and September 2021.
• These closures were affected 933,000

“The impact of COVID-19 on children is much more complicated than comparing how sick young children get sick and how sick older people get sick,” he said. Director of the U of U Health’s Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital’s Hospital Epidemiology Program. “The number of hospitalizations and deaths is much higher than the typical flu impacts during the same period. School closures and education impacts have a secondary impact on mental health. “

Pavia explains that this is not the only reason children should be vaccinated. It also helps protect them from:

• Spread the virus to family, friends, teachers, and people in areas at high risk of getting sick.
• Get Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a rare but serious condition associated with COVID-19.
• Long-term debilitating effects of COVID-19, including loss of taste and smell, malaise, and memory loss.

As a result, health professionals recommend parents to weigh the small risk of complications after vaccination against the risk of getting COVID-19. “If you do so reasonably, you can see it [children] The consequences are much more serious if: [parents] We do nothing except when they are vaccinated, “Pavia said. “If children don’t benefit, we’ll make another decision, but we believe they, their families, and the community will benefit.”

Is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine effective and safe for children ages 5-11?

In a study of 3,200 children conducted by Pfizer, the vaccine was 90% effective in preventing the symptoms of COVID-19 aged 5 to 11 years and had an immune response comparable to that of people aged 16 to 25 years. It is shown to be. As seen in other age groups, the side effects experienced were arm pain, redness of the arm, and sometimes swollen lymph nodes, fever, and chills. Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) is treatable but a serious side effect and rarely occurs in teens and older and adults. Health experts believe that low-dose vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 years may reduce the risk of myocarditis, and no cases have been reported in clinical trials. However, these attempts were not large enough to detect such rare events.

Is there a system to monitor the safety and efficacy of vaccines?

Vaccines are distributed to millions of children, so it is important to keep an eye on their safety. NS Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Request reports of illnesses that may occur after vaccination, whether or not it is related to the vaccine. Next, the Vaccine Safety Datalink, which consists of 100 million people in the medical system, can examine the data and compare it with health records to correlate the incidence and frequency of people developing specific symptoms with the vaccine. Check if you can. This system works very well because we learned about the very rare blood clots that occurred with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The same system monitors the safety of vaccines in children.

Is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine safe for children with the underlying disorder?

Children with the underlying disorder are the ones who benefit most from the vaccine because they are at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Of the 3,200 children who participated in Pfizer’s study, 12% had the underlying disorder and had no serious side effects from the vaccine. Data on 193 million adults and older children already vaccinated indicate that there are no additional safety concerns in this group as many had underlying medical conditions. Did.

I don’t know if my child is allergic to anything. Is it safe to get the vaccine?

Children with a general allergy to milk, pollen, or latex do not have an increased risk of an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. Severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are extremely rare in adults and occur in approximately 5 cases per million doses. People who have a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine are allergic to a specific component of the vaccine called polyethylene glycol (PEG). By the time the child reaches the age of 5, the recommended childhood vaccinated children are already exposed to this ingredient. If the child does not have a severe allergic reaction to these vaccines, it is a good sign that he is not allergic to the Pfizer vaccine.

Are Adolescents Affected by the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine?

No. There is no biological reason that vaccines affect signals from the brain and hormones that can affect puberty.

Can the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine cause infertility?

No, there is No evidence Antibodies or vaccine components produced after COVID-19 vaccination can cause pregnancy problems now or in the future. In addition, there was no difference in the ability of vaccinated people to become pregnant.

How can I know that I have no serious symptoms 3 years after vaccination?

With currently available vaccines, it has been found that symptoms usually occur within the first few months and usually much earlier. More than a year has passed since people were first vaccinated in clinical trials, and over time they have not shown any additional symptoms. Moreover, there is no biological reason to believe this can happen. For these reasons, it is unlikely that symptoms will appear after 3 years. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines prepared for children aged 5 to 11 years are one-third the dose of adults and lower doses. Due to the low dose, side effects may be even less.

Does my kid need a booster shot?

I don’t know the answer yet. This information can only be determined after the vaccine has been given to a sufficient number of children in this age group and the sustained response to the vaccine has been evaluated.

How does the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine prevent hospitalization in the event of a breakthrough infection?

Because the COVID-19 vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing infections, some people who are fully vaccinated will be vaccinated with COVID-19. However, even if fully vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to be less severe than unvaccinated people. This means that they are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than unvaccinated people.

How does adding vaccinated children to a population affect herd immunity?

Vaccination helps prevent children from spreading the virus to the community. Vaccination of a significant number of children helps control the pandemic.

How comfortable is it to send a child with a disability back to school after vaccination?

If a child’s disorder, such as a neuromuscular disease that does not affect the immune system, should not affect the function of the vaccine, it can be sent back to school immediately. If the disorder affects the immune system, such as if your child is being treated for cancer or has recently had an organ transplant, the vaccine may not work because it may not be able to build a strong immune response. there is. In that case, it is best to consult a pediatrician.

Do children still need to wear a mask if they have been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine?

of Many parts of the United States.. The virus is still very active due to a fairly high community infection.In these areas, children and adults Continue to wear masks even in high-risk situations Includes crowded indoor areas where some people may not be masked or vaccinated. Such places may include schools and restaurants.

Where can I get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children?

Pfizer vaccines are readily available at retail pharmacies and pediatrician offices.Move to Vaccine.gov Alternatively, call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 888-720-7489) to find a vaccine provider near you.

What else can I do to protect my child from COVID-19?

Make sure you are vaccinated and encourage others close to your child to be vaccinated. Not only does it help protect your child further, it also helps protect yourself and the people around you.

For a full press conference, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFctv9hkx_w

To hear the full interview with Julie Rose from Top of Mind, visit: https://www.byuradio.org/31137d4c-05bd-4ff4-a04f-06b3299f8f07