On Wednesday, Colorado began immunizing children aged 5 to 11 against the coronavirus COVID-19. As the state prepares to deliver vaccinations to the 479,895 Coloradans in that age bracket, parents are leery about giving their consent. Many parents are looking forward to the immunizations arriving after months of worrying about their children getting sick. Other parents are hesitant to immunize their children because they are concerned about long-term adverse effects. The introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine for young children comes at a key juncture in Colorado’s pandemic.
Officials in the state are afraid that the upcoming holidays and flu season will put additional strain on hospitals. The most recent outbreak began this summer, when children returned to school, resulting in a rise in infections among teenagers. Children are less likely to have severe instances that require hospitalization, but they are nonetheless at risk. Long-haulers are children who experience symptoms and side effects that last for weeks or months. Children can potentially pass the infection on to others, including those who are more susceptible to consequences.
According to an official, getting vaccinated now is an important thing we can all do before reuniting with our families for the holidays. One-third of parents in the United States intend to wait and see how effective the COVID-19 vaccination is. Thirty percent of parents with children aged 5 to 11 say they will not vaccinate them. Potential adverse effects, such as myocarditis, are a source of concern for parents. Natural COVID in children can cause serious illness, particularly heart failure, according to a specialist.
Children aged 5 to 11 were shown to be less likely than teenagers or young adults to develop transient vaccine adverse effects in a study of Pfizer’s vaccine. According to Dr. Sanjay Bajaj, who served as the trial’s executive sponsor at Children’s Hospital, the difference could be due to the children’s dose is lower. Some parents have already scheduled vaccination appointments for their children.
