Is Covid Vaccine For Kids Under 12 Safe?

Covid Vaccine For Kids Under 12 – Since the first day of COVID-19 in the world, the safety of kids has become a big issue. The first few waves of COVID-19 did not infect much in the world, but the United States also started reporting positive cases of kids infected with the virus after the third wave of the virus.

By the time the number of positive cases of COVID-19 started rising in kids, several vaccine manufacturers in the United States had launched their vaccines for COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States did not launch the COVID vaccine for everyone, including kids, in the first place.

The immune system of kids behaves differently than adults, and that is why the Food and Drug Administration of the United States took enough time Ensure the safety of kids after approving any vaccine. Vaccines for kids, especially the COVID vaccine for kids under 12, have become a big debate in the country.

The debate on the Covid Vaccine for Kids Under 12

A lot of parents are not in favor of their kids getting vaccinated with a vaccine that might not work against the virus. Several media houses from different states of the country, including New York, Massachusetts, and Texas, have been reporting that parents are not happy with the vaccine for COVID-19.

They are arguing that COVID vaccines do not work against the COVID virus, and there is no point in their kids getting vaccinated.

Yes, their concerns are true as the federal government of the United States, including the Food and Drug Administration, has suggested vaccine manufacturers in the country work on variant-specific booster shots of COVID-19 as the current vaccine is not as effective as you might think.

Currently dominating variants of COVID-19 are somewhat immune to the COVID vaccine and its booster shots. A lot of parents are concerned that it can affect the growth of their kid who has not hit puberty yet.

The whole debate once again was when two of the most popular COVID vaccine manufacturers in the United States applied for variant-specific booster shots. If it gets approved by the US FDA, then it is going to be the 5th shot of the COVID vaccine for a lot of people in the country.

What do health experts say about the COVID Vaccine for Kids Under 12?

Health experts around the United States suggest parents get their kids vaccinated with the COVID vaccine as early as possible. COVID vaccine for kids under 12 is available in the United States, and you should not make any mistake.

 Doctor Angela Dangvu suggests every parent in the United States get their kids vaccinated with the Moderna or Pfizer COVID vaccine. Both vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, and they are available at most pharmacies and hospitals around the nation.

As per the latest guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone above the age of six months is eligible to get the COVID vaccine.

Every kid above the age of five is also eligible to receive the third COVID vaccine, which is the first booster shot. The vaccine might not be as effective against the virus as you think, but it can protect against severe illnesses of COVID-19. 

The variant-specific booster shots of the COVID vaccine have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, and they might also be available to all the kids who have received at least the primary series of the COVID vaccine.

Latest studies have been predicting that variant-specific booster shots are going to be highly effective, and they can provide more than 90% protection against severe illness and general infection. 

Schedule of COVID Vaccine for Kids Under 12

Before we move ahead, let’s take a quick look at the schedule released by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention for the COVID vaccine for kids under 12.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States has been doing a tremendous job of vaccinating everyone, including kids in the country. Just like other age categories, the COVID vaccine for kids under age 12 is completely free of cost, and parents do not have to pay even a penny to get their kids vaccinated.

For every kid under 12, the CDC suggests getting a vaccine made by Pfizer or Moderna. The other two vaccine manufacturers have not been approved for kids underage 12.

Six Months to Four Years

• Everyone above the age of six months to four years is eligible to receive 3 short primary series of Pfizer COVID vaccines for kids.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consider your kid up to date with the COVID vaccine after completing 2 weeks of getting the third dose of the primary series.
• The Booster series is not recommended for this age group.
• The Food and Drug Administration of the United States recommends a 2 shot Moderna vaccine for everyone above the age of six months to 12 years.

The third dose included in the Pfizer vaccine is not the booster shot.

Four Years to 12 years

• Everyone above the age of four years is eligible to receive 2 short primary series from any manufacturer. Parents can go with Moderna or Pfizer, depending on their choice.
•  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a booster shot for everyone above the age of five years to 12 years. 
•  Moderna vaccine as a booster shot is not recommended for kids below the age of 12.
• Parents will have only one choice as a booster shot, and that is going to be Pfizer.
• Kids in this age group will be considered up to date immediately after getting the third dose of the COVID vaccine.

The above-given guidelines can change anytime, and you should consult with your health care provider before you think of getting vaccinated. Your child might require extra care due to a low immune system, and your health care provider is the best judge for that. 

Are COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 12 Safe?

The Food and Drug Administration of the United States has special criteria to ensure the safety of every citizen, including kids under age 12. 

FDA Did not give its approval to vaccinate kids under the age of 18 till they were completely sure that the vaccine was not harmful to the overall health of the kids.

The United States Food and Drug Administration received a vaccine study conducted by Pfizer, which has more than 4600 kids. As per that study, 3100 kids were given the Pfizer vaccine while others were on the placebo effect. The study kept monitoring the health of kids who received the actual short of Pfizer for two months.

There were some mild side effects of the vaccine. None of the kids included in the study were ever reported positive for COVID-19. At the end of the study, Pfizer found that the effectiveness of their vaccine for COVID-19 under age 12 is around 91%.

The study also claimed shocking effectiveness of 100% in preventive COVID-19 in the age group of 12 to 15. The study was very small and only contained 2200 children in the United States. Apart from that variant, the virus can also play a huge role in its effectiveness.

When it comes to public safety, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States does not play lightly, as they have already limited the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in any age group. 

There were some reports that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is causing severe blood clotting that can even result in death. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States took the matter into its own hands and found that all the claims are somewhat true.

Soon after that, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States limited the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States stopped recommending the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to any age group.

Both approved COVID vaccines are completely safe for everyone, including kids under age 12. Yes, there are some chances that you might get some severe side effects from receiving the vaccine, but those are one in a million. You or your kid is only going to experience mild side effects over receiving any COVID vaccine.