By Ava Eliasson
As promising news of a COVID-19 vaccine for five to eleven year old children is announced to the public, what will all of its anticipation boil down to? Millions of minors under twelve remain unvaccinated against the virus, and new data proposes that increased safety and effectiveness is vital.
Scientists recognize that we must be inoculated against this virus, but low vaccination rates nationwide have left us still wearing masks in public and in school, working remotely, and restricting our lives. It has been nearly a year since vaccines first became available, but the protected must persist in helping the unprotected. With this principle of public health, it’s eye-opening to know Microsoft Network states “kids ages 5 to 11 actually outnumber older minors, making them the single largest bloc of Americans — at 28 million strong.”
Fortunately, a trial that involved more than 2,200 kids within the five to eleven years old age range was described as “well-tolerated and [showing] robust neutralizing antibody responses” according to Pfizer and BioNTech. These promising results can be strengthened when their results are submitted to the FDA or EMA “with urgency.” But if, as expected, this company conducts trials on vaccines for two to five year olds and children 6 months to 2 years olds, some may then wonder how many children will receive this vaccine once available. If you have a younger sibling or you are often in close contact with a child, the new availability of vaccines for children may serve as a glimpse of hope for a safer future.
In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, around a quarter of parents of children ages five to eleven say they will vaccinate their children "right away" once a vaccine is authorized, while forty percent of parents said they would wait.
I believe that no child should be obligated to get this new vaccine because they have freedoms over their own body, but without medical complications, allergies, or contradicting personal beliefs, a child and their guardian(s) should have the opportunity to, and in my opinion, the willingness to take this necessary action: vaccination against possible illness, hospitalization, or death.
If children can acquire the vaccine in one to two months as predicted, experts recommend having appropriate conversations with children. They should be able to share their thoughts and questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Their decision on whether or not to get vaccinated should be respected, but they should also be made aware of the state of the pandemic and their role in it. Touch upon the points of when, how, and where they can get the vaccine, addressing any of their fears and emphasizing the safety of getting vaccinated. It’s not likely that a child will regret having gotten vaccinated due to the fact that only non-severe side effects may be experienced following vaccination, such as pain and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, and headache, or cold-like symptoms. Similarly to young adults, effects on children are more prevalent after the second dose, but they are short-lived and most resolve within a matter of days.
It’s known that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is reaching new heights. In fact, cases among children have increased by about 240% since July. With an eventual herd immunity in aim, this number could continue to rise as variants spread and more kids return to school. It’s our responsibility to encourage everyone, even the youth, to get vaccinated if we hope to stop the spread of the virus.
More people need to realize that vaccinating children is an urgent matter. A large survey of school-aged children showed that “children in full or partial virtual school reported lower levels of physical activity, less in-person time socializing with friends and worse mental or emotional health compared with those receiving full in-person schooling.” If a child does not get vaccinated against COVID-19, their physical health, academic performance, and socialization will continue to be impaired.
Regardless of your age or prior knowledge of vaccines, use this new development in vaccine availability as a chance to explore the answers to questions you may still be wondering. International organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organization are useful online resources. Even if you do not take the time to conduct personal research, I hope that you have trust in one of the safest and most intensely monitored vaccines in U.S. history.