COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available for Children under 5 at Dayton Children's Hospital

Starting Tuesday, children under 5 years old will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccines at Dayton Children's Hospital, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the virus. This development comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the vaccines for this age group last week. Dr. Adam Mezoff, chief medical officer at Dayton Children's Hospital, emphasized the importance of incorporating the new vaccine into children's routine vaccination plans.

Key Takeaways:

• Children under 5 years old are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines at Dayton Children's Hospital, starting Tuesday.
• Dr. Adam Mezoff, chief medical officer, suggests that the new vaccine should be part of a child's routine vaccination plan, which includes immunizations for other diseases.
• Dayton Children's Hospital has held large-scale vaccination events in the past, but it's unclear if there will be a high demand for the COVID-19 vaccines for this age group.
• The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children under 5 have been shown to be 51% and 80% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections, respectively.
• Common side effects of the Moderna vaccine include pain, injection-site swelling, and fever, while common side effects of the Pfizer vaccine include irritability, decreased appetite, and fever.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 40% of people who qualify for immunization are not fully vaccinated.
• Health officials have warned that the rate of hospitalization and death for children, particularly during the omicron wave, has been concerning.
• Dr. Mezoff expects COVID cases to increase in the fall, especially as kids go back to school, and suggests that adding the COVID-19 vaccine to routine vaccinations now could help maximize protection levels.

Statistics:

• The Moderna vaccine was shown to be 51% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children under 2 years old.
• The Moderna vaccine was shown to be 37% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children aged 2-5.
• The Pfizer vaccine was shown to be 80% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections among children aged 6 months to 4 years.
• More than 40% of people who qualify for immunization are not fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
• Children's hospitalizations surged to record highs in January during the omicron wave.
• Over 10 children in the study for the Pfizer vaccine contracted COVID-19.

Sources:

• Dr. Adam Mezoff, chief medical officer at Dayton Children's Hospital.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• President Joe Biden.
• Moderna Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• BioNTech SE.
• The Associated Press.