What California Parents Need To Know About Covid Vaccinations For Children | quick start Guide

Photo credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / Polaris

Seven-year-old Ari Alleyne will receive the children’s dose of Pfizer Covid vaccine on November 3, 2021 from RN Priya Meyer, Mgr. For Nursing Professional Development at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

Photo credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / Polaris

Seven-year-old Ari Alleyne will receive the children’s dose of Pfizer Covid vaccine on November 3, 2021 from RN Priya Meyer, Mgr. For Nursing Professional Development at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

Now that Covid-19 vaccinations are available in California for children 5 years and older, many parents are keen to enroll their children for the vaccine. But widespread misinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine has made some parents wonder if they should get their child vaccinated.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of the Pfizer Covid vaccine for children ages 12-15 in May and a pediatric dose of the vaccine for children ages 5-11 in late October. Children aged 16 and over are also eligible for the fully approved Pfizer adult vaccine.

“With vaccines we are ending this pandemic and they are protecting our children – it is time to give our children the protection they need from this deadly virus, especially at the start of the winter season,” said Governor Gavin Newsom when announcing the Introduced the vaccine by the state on November 3rd. “California leads the way in vaccinations with 54 million administered and 87% of the eligible population with at least one dose vaccination program that covers this emerging age group.”

The federal government plans to give California 1.2 million doses of the vaccine to children, enough to vaccinate all of its 5 to 11 year olds, health officials said.

California K-12 students must be vaccinated against Covid for any age group 5+ years after the Covid vaccine is approved by the FDA. School staff are currently in need of vaccination or testing, but they will not have a testing option once the student mandate goes into effect.

Why should my child be vaccinated against Covid-19?

Clinical studies with the vaccine showed that the vaccine was 90.7% effective in preventing Covid-19 in children ages 5-11 and 100% in adolescents ages 12-15.

Although vaccinated people can still contract Covid and spread it, the likelihood that they will develop a serious illness and spread the disease are less than those who are not vaccinated and contract Covid-19. Having a high level of vaccination coverage in a population will also reduce the spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from occurring.

“The Covid-19 vaccine is the best way to protect your child and protect them from Covid-19, including the Delta variant,” said a November 4 statement from the US Department of Education. “Children are infected with Covid-19, which occasionally leads to serious illnesses and in certain cases even to death. Even if your child does not become seriously ill, they could be diagnosed with a so-called “long covid” and have long-term health consequences or pass the virus on to others. “

How can Covid-19 affect a child’s health?

Covid can, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Contraception.

Although most children have mild symptoms and improve on their own, 6.4 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported in children under the age of 18, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 16% of all cases nationwide. Children make up 22% of the US population. Almost 900 died.

More than 2 million cases of Covid have been reported in the US age group of 5-11 year olds alone, resulting in 8,300 hospitalizations and 146 deaths, said Dr. Janet Woodcock, Acting FDA commissioner.

Complications of the disease are pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, septic shock, and death.

Is the vaccine safe for my child?

The FDA has determined that the vaccines for children are safe and effective. In California and other western states, the studies and other research were also reviewed by the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. All groups found the vaccines to be safe and effective for children.

A lot of myths about the vaccine circulate on social media. The vaccines do not contain any metals or ingredients that would make a person magnetic. They don’t contain microchips to track people, and since they don’t contain the virus, they don’t cause people to shed the virus inside or outside their bodies, according to the CDC.

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“Parents and guardians can be assured that we have carried out a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and that this vaccine meets our high standards,” said Woodcock after the vaccine was approved for children aged 5 to 11 Years.

Vaccine studies for the ages 5 through 11 included 4,600 children, and no serious side effects were found, Woodcock said. Vaccine studies for ages 12-15 included 2,200 children with only mild to moderate side effects.

The pediatric vaccine is given in two doses 21 days apart, like the adult dose. But the doses will only be 10 micrograms – or a third of the adult dose. Adolescents 12 years of age and older receive the same dose of Pfizer vaccine as adults.

The Pfizer Shot is an mRNA vaccine that, according to the CDC, uses a harmless piece of “spike protein” to trigger an immune response in the body. The Pfizer vaccine itself is new, but mRNA vaccines have been explored for decades. The vaccine does not contain live virus.

Does the vaccine have any side effects?

Many people report that they did not have any side effects from the Covid vaccination. When there are side effects, the most common in children and adults are sore arms at the shooting site, fatigue, and a mild fever, said Dr. Norma Perez, pediatrician and medical director of AltaMed Health Services in Los Angeles.

Other possible side effects could include headache, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, nausea, and decreased appetite, according to the Mayo Clinic. The side effects usually occur within two days of vaccination and last for one to three days.

In rare cases, the vaccine can cause an inflammation of the heart called myocarditis. In studies, children ages 5-11 did not develop the disease, although older children, especially boys, are more susceptible, according to the CDC. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, and a feeling of a fast beating or pounding heart. If a child has these symptoms, see a doctor. Most cases are mild and patients recover at home.

Children are much more likely to get myocarditis from Covid-19 than from the vaccine, health officials said.

How do I prepare my child for a vaccination?

The CDC recommends:

• Talk to your child about what to expect.
• To avoid side effects, do not give your child pain relievers before a vaccination, as this could affect the way the vaccine works.
• Tell your doctor or nurse about any allergies your child may have.
• If you have a severe allergic reaction, you should stay at the vaccination site for 15 to 30 minutes after vaccination.
• Your child should sit during the vaccination and while waiting to avoid injury if they faint.

Does my child need to be vaccinated if they already have Covid?

Yes sir. A CDC study of Kentucky residents showed that unvaccinated people are twice as likely to be infected with Covid as vaccinated people. The CDC recommends that everyone get vaccinated even if they’ve had the disease.

After a Covid-19 infection, there is a certain immunity, the duration of which, however, cannot be foreseen. A Yale study published in October reports that immunity to Covid can last three to 61 months after recovering from infection.

Where can my child get vaccinated?

Vaccines for children are available in clinics, doctor’s offices, and schools across California. The state is launching a public information campaign to encourage children and their parents to vaccinate.

If your child’s pediatrician or school doesn’t offer vaccinations, parents can check with their local health department to find out where vaccination clinics are held or call their local pharmacy to see if they will accept appointments for pediatric Covid vaccinations.

Parents can also search the California Department of Health’s My Turn website to find a vaccination clinic or to schedule an appointment for a vaccination.

Do I have to have my child vaccinated?

California’s Covid-19 school vaccination mandate, the first in the country, applies to all students from kindergarten through 12th grade in public, charter, and private schools, as well as all school staff. It goes into effect in the first semester, either January 1st or July 1st, after the FDA has fully approved the Covid vaccine for each age group.

Only the Pfizer vaccine is fully approved for use in people aged 16 and over. The Pfizer vaccine has emergency approval for use in children 5-11 years old and adolescents 11-15 years old.

The requirement follows vaccination regulations in several California school districts for students 12 and older, including Los Angeles Unified, San Diego Unified, Sacramento City Unified, Culver City Unified, and Oakland Unified. Newsom encouraged other districts to enact their own mandates before the state plan.

There are precedents for the need for vaccinations. State law requires children in K-12 public schools to be vaccinated against 10 serious communicable diseases in order to attend public or private schools and daycare in person.

“The rules are not new; they are well established. In some ways, this is the most predictable announcement we’ve had in this pandemic, “Newsom said. “Every parent already knows these requirements. It’s just another vaccine. “

Are there any exceptions to the school vaccination order?

The requirement leaves the option open for families to opt out of the Covid-19 vaccine. Since the mandate comes from the governor and not the legislature, exceptions for medical, religious or personal reasons are allowed.

Students with these exceptions can attend school in person, said Senator Richard Pan, a pediatrician who heads the Senate Health Committee. Students who choose to study independently that allows them to study from home don’t need to apply for an exemption or get vaccinated, he said.

But the exemptions could change. State lawmakers have indicated that they are considering laws to strengthen vaccination requirements, which could include lifting some exemptions or the outlines of how families must receive exemptions.

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