Kids’ vaccine for COVID

The CDC recently gave final approval for the Pfizer vaccine for use with children ages 5-11.

There are several reasons why vaccinating children is a good plan. Health experts know that some children do get very sick and/or die from the virus. Some who have had COVID get the long-COVID syndrome. The virus has also caused a rare and potentially life-threatening inflammatory syndrome in children. Finally, vaccination in children limits the transmission of the virus.

If you have questions, make an appointment with your child’s family medical provider or seek answers from trusted healthcare sources. The Pfizer vaccine dose contains a third as much mRNA as the adult version. The mRNA provides the instructions to cells to make the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, thereby triggering the body to mount a protective immune response against the virus. It is administered in two shots, three weeks apart.

You can get your child a COVID vaccination from Mille Lacs Health System Onamia clinic, at either a scheduled nurse visit or another type of scheduled health visit. Appointments can be made by calling 320-532-3154, option 1. Patients under the age of 18 do need parental consent for vaccination.