Why Children Should Get the Covid-19 Vaccine if they're Healthy.

 

Florida’s Surgeon General recently recommended against healthy children receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. While this goes against CDC and AAP recommendations, it is also quite concerning for most pediatricians.

 

Children, compared to adults, are at low risk for complications from COVID. However, children have been hospitalized for COVID-19 and almost 1,000 children in the U.S have died from this virus. 

We still have yet to see official numbers, but children with underlying medical conditions such as obesity or neurodegenerative conditions were more likely to have hospitalizations and/or complications from this virus. This is based on what we have seen clinically.

However, “healthy” children can still get this virus, be hospitalized, and have complications.  And vaccination should be offered to all parents of children who are age eligible. So why should your child get the COVID vaccine if they are healthy? 

The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for children 5+ and has been studied for safety through rigorous testing.  

 

We have yet to obtain data on hospitalization and deaths by underlying medical condition for children throughout this pandemic, however we know that vaccines can do the following for ALL children regardless of their health status:

• Vaccinations reduce risk of getting COVID-19 compared to not being vaccinated
• Vaccinating children can protect vulnerable populations. Most immunocompromised individuals are able to get vaccinated, however they are more likely to not have as robust of an immune response to vaccination given their weakened immune system. They are more likely to get breakthrough infections, so vaccinating those around them (including healthy children) can protect them. Babies and children under five also rely on others to be vaccinated to reduce the risk of spreading the illness to them since they don’t have a vaccine.
• Vaccination helps reduce risk of hospitalization in all age groups. We have seen healthy children be hospitalized. We have also seen healthy children get COVID and have long-covid symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, or shortness of breath. Although these things are rare, vaccines are a safe and effective way of reducing this risk even further. 

It is true that healthy children are overall at low risk for complications, hospitalizations, and death from COVID-19. However, low risk is not NO risk.

When there is a safe vaccine available for families, they should be offered this so they can make the best choice for their family. Recommending healthy children do not get the vaccine goes against data we currently have. Parents should be able to have discussions with their child’s clinician on the benefits of the COVID vaccine and be able to make an informed decision for their child. 

 

This blog was written by Pediatric Associates’ Dr. Mona Amin

• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Health and Wellness

• covid
• covid and kids
• covid vaccine
• covid 19 vaccine

2022-03-21T14:37:51-04:00