Jefferson County Health Department Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations for Children Age 5-11

As many of you have heard, COVID-19 vaccination is now available to children aged 5-11 years of age. We have been listening to questions parents and caregivers have about getting their child vaccinated. I would like to share some of that information here.

One of the top concerns for parents is safety of the vaccine in children. COVID-19 vaccines have and continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. Tens of thousands of volunteers have been involved in clinical trials for the vaccines. Before they receive FDA emergency use authorization, the trials demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccines are remarkably safe and effective. The vaccines have been given to nearly half of all 12 to 17-year-old children in the U.S. The vaccines continue to be monitored very closely.

Parents wonder about the benefit of getting their child vaccinated when COVID-19 seems to be less severe in children. Even though the illness is mild for many children, kids are at risk, and we still do not know what leads to serious complications like multi-inflammatory syndrome or long COVID. Right now, because there is a high rate of transmission of COVID, there is a high incidence of COVID related complications in children. We are seeing more serious symptoms in children due to the Delta variant. We continue to learn new things about COVID-19. Time will tell whether having COVID will result in long-term implications like we see in some other viruses. Vaccinating children helps keep them safe and healthy.

Vaccinating children helps protect others. Vaccinating those who can be vaccinated helps protect those who cannot and those who are high-risk for complications of COVID-19. People are much more likely to be infected by unvaccinated individuals. Children may be exposed to the virus and then inadvertently expose others. This makes them part of the “chain of transmission”. The more people who are vaccinated, the less transmission will occur. For children who have been diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19, vaccination gives them a boost. We do not know how long or strong immunity is from infection. Having children vaccinated can help us have more confidence in them having strong protection against COVID-19.

Children aged 5-11 years will be receiving a lesser dosage of the Pfizer vaccine. During clinical trials, the safest dose that gave the best immune response was determined to be a third of the dose given to adolescents and adults. This smaller dose gives good protection with minimal side effects. The most common side effect in children is reported to be a sore arm. Children should not have to miss school due to side effects. It is advised that parents get their 11-year-old children vaccinated rather than wait for them to turn 12 because efficacy data is comparable between the two groups. It is best to get vaccinated rather than wait.

Shots can produce anxiety in children. Try to make it routine. Express to your child that you know getting shots may be hard however, it is important in staying healthy. Let your child know that the nurse will wear a mask and gloves. Role play if this will ease your child’s fear. Provide comfort and distraction during the injection and offer them something to look forward to, a special treat or privilege.

We are heading into fall and winter where we experience more overall respiratory illness. JeffCo Health Department recommends getting an annual flu vaccine as well as your COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines can be given with other vaccinations. Please call our office at 406-225-4007 if you have questions or would like to schedule a vaccination for your child or yourself.