The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics explains why it's so important.
 | By Alexandra Sifferlin Senior Staff Editor, Opinion |
Vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 could be available in early November. Today an advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration is meeting to discuss whether the agency should authorize the use of Pfizer's vaccine for that age group. |
Even with that potential availability, it doesn't necessarily mean all parents will rush to vaccinate their young children. As the sociologist Jessica Calarco wrote in an essay this week, a substantial proportion of parents say they are unsure about vaccinating their kids. A recent survey found that about only a third of parents of children in that age group said they plan to get them vaccinated "right away" once the shot is available. |
There are a variety of reasons for that. Some parents may not feel a sense of urgency because they believe their children are pretty safe from Covid-19. Others may have concerns about side effects. |
Having questions about the vaccine is understandable. But as Dr. Lee Savio Beers, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, writes in a guest essay today, it's important for children in the United States to get vaccinated, despite any reservations. "Vaccinating children will help slow the spread of the disease to the unvaccinated and to more at-risk adults, reducing its toll on everyone," she writes. |
I reached out to Beers about writing an essay because she's long held a strong position in favor of a Covid-19 vaccine for children, including urging the F.D.A. to work "aggressively" toward authorizing a vaccine for children under the age of 12 as soon as possible. |
Even if children are at a much lower risk of the most severe consequences of Covid-19, Beers argues that they still experience a significant burden from the disease. Many children have had substantial school disruptions and over 140,000 have lost a caregiver, she says. The A.A.P. and other childhood organizations recently declared a national state of emergency for children's mental health. And although children's risk for severe illness is low, getting Covid-19 remains much more dangerous than getting the vaccine, which data suggests is safe and effective. |
"There is simply not an acceptable number of child deaths when such effective and safe preventive treatments are available," writes Beers. "So, for the same reason pediatricians recommend seatbelts and car seats, we are recommending vaccines for Covid-19." |
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