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Vaccinating children
In the U.S., Pfizer has requested its COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization to be extended to children between 12 and 15. The pharma giant just made a similar request in Europe.
NEW YORK - In the United States, anyone age 16 and older is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. But what about younger children? They could be eligible soon if the U.S. government gives the go-ahead.
"I strongly agree with vaccinating my children because if they are going to be in school with unvaccinated children, at least it gives them a layer of protection," Richard Brewer said. "At least we know they are protected, regardless of who around them as vaccinated or not."
Brewer and his wife, of Plainview, Long Island, are counting down the days until their kids, ages 7 and 10, can get the COVID-19 vaccine — whenever that will be.
It's the same feeling for Lori Mannette, of Jersey City, who said getting her child vaccinated has been her top priority since the coronavirus pandemic began.
"My child has a few medical conditions, which makes me rather nervous for him to get sick. I need him vaccinated so that we can get back to normal," Mannette said. "He needs to be able to play with children, he needs to be able to go to karate class, he needs to be able to go to school, and right now he can't do any of that."
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In Europe, Pfizer is seeking vaccine authorization for children 12 to 15 years old. In the U.S., Pfizer has also already requested emergency use authorization to be extended to children in that same age group.
Dr. Henry Bernstein of Northwell Health's Cohen Children's Medical Center said Pfizer has vaccine trials underway with children under 16.
"Now most recently they have enrolled kids 12 to 15 years of age, then they are going to go down to 5 to 11, then 2 to 5 and then six months to 2 years," Bernstein, who is part of a CDC vaccine advisory panel, told FOX 5 NY. "So we are moving in that direction."
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Although medical reports don't show children to have suffered from COVID-19 as much as adults have, Bernstein recommends all adults and children get vaccinated when eligible. He reminds us that this virus is not one to be taken lightly — at any age.