North Carolina, Charlotte – Children from 6 months to 5 years old can, starting today, June 20, receive the pediatric vaccine against Covid-19 from Pfizer and Moderna.
The vaccine received “green light" late last week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
With approval, more than 600,000 children in North Carolina can benefit from the vaccine; being the group of the population that was missing to have access to immunization against the virus.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), children ages 6 months through 5 years will receive a lower dose of the vaccine than any other age group.
“This dose of vaccine is different from the vaccine that was previously authorized for children ages 5 to 11. Currently, the booster dose “They are not authorized for children in this age group,” the NCDHHS said.
As with all routine vaccines for children, Covid-19 vaccines have been tested and reviewed by the FDA, CDC, and their independent scientific committees to ensure they are safe for children.
Results from ongoing clinical trials that began in March 2021 showed that the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines were safe and effective in protecting children ages 6 months to 5 years.
The covid vaccine It is free for all children from 6 months to 5 years
The NCDHHS emphasized, “that all children 6 months and older can receive the Covid-19 vaccine for free, even if they do not have health insurance and regardless of their immigration status.”
Families with questions about Covid-19 vaccines should talk to their child's doctor.
How they will be managed Vaccines for children from 6 months to 5 years
Pfizer vaccine: It is authorized to be administered in a series of three doses. The first two doses three weeks apart. The third dose at least eight weeks later (this third dose is not considered a booster for children).
Moderna vaccine: It is authorized to be supplied in two doses four weeks apart. Moderna is testing its third dose, and results from those studies are expected this summer.
Both vaccines are reduced or pediatric doses, different from the doses for children 5 years of age and older and adults.
Vaccine effectiveness
According to preliminary data released by Moderna in April, they suggest that two doses of its vaccine were 51% effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections among children aged 6 months to 1 year; and that the two doses were 37% effective in preventing the virus in children between 2 and 5 years old.
For its part, Pfizer claims that its three-dose vaccine is 80% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections among children ages 6 months to 4 years; but that estimate was based on infections in only three children.
The CDC indicated that no safety concerns or serious side effects were observed in clinical trials for either vaccine.
What are the side effects in young children
With both vaccines, young children may experience minimal, temporary side effects. These side effects are similar to those in adults: arm pain, headache, and tiredness or pain for one or two days.
Data suggest that side effects in younger children may be less than in older children, probably because the vaccine dose is lower.
According to the CDC, no children in the vaccine trials developed heart problems such as myocarditis; a form of inflammation that was seen in a small number of older children who received the vaccine.
Myocarditis has occurred more frequently in adolescents and young adults.
Where can young children be vaccinated
According to NCDHHS, the first order of vaccines is anticipated to arrive in North Carolina today, Monday, June 20.
NCDHHS recommends that families contact their child's pediatrician, medical provider, or local health department for more details about when the vaccine will be available.
“You are encouraged to call ahead to confirm that the vaccine will be available before visiting a health care provider,” the entity said.
Children between the ages of 3 and 5 have the option of getting vaccinated at a pharmacy or supermarket, in addition to a doctor's office or local health center. While children under 3 years old cannot be vaccinated by a pharmacist.
Families of children who do not have an established medical provider can visit the following site to find a nearby vaccination center
If the child recently had Covid-19, should he or she be vaccinated?
According to the CDC, children who recently had Covid-19 can be vaccinated as soon as they are released from isolation and feel better. Experts say that it is not unreasonable to wait until 90 days after infection to be vaccinated.
However, parents may want to vaccinate their children as soon as they can if cases are increasing in their community. Also if traveling to areas with high percentages of Covid.19, if the child is immunocompromised or has significant risk factors.
Can children receive other vaccines along with the Covid-19 vaccine?
According to the CDC, children can get the Covid-19 vaccine and other routine immunizations at the same time, including influenza.
Why is it important to vaccinate younger children?
According to the CDC, children under 5 years they had the highest rate of hospitalizations compared to other pediatric groups.
Covid-19 cases in children can result in hospitalization, death, MIS-C (which is a condition that causes inflammation in different parts of the body), and long-term problems with symptoms lasting for months.
“Vaccines will help reduce infections and transmission, bringing all North Carolinians closer to fewer family disruptions ahead of the summer months and the start of the school year,” NCDHHS said.
More than 400 unvaccinated children have died from Covid
Although it is true that Covid-19 is less risky for young children, more than 440 children under the age of 4 have died from the virus in the United States; This data is since the pandemic began in 2020. The above according to data from the CDC.
Likewise, coronavirus infections "are one of the 10 biggest causes of death in children in the country."
Since the pandemic began, 35,149 cases (1%) have been recorded in North Carolina in children ages 0 to 1 year; and in children from 2 to 4 years old 63,008 cases (2%). Data according to the NCDHHS Covid-10 Table
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