COVID-19 could have lasting effect on children

A common refrain over the last year has been that when children come down with COVID-19, it isn't as severe or serious as it might have been for an adult.

The concern about the persistent nature of this trope is that it might lull parents into believing a vaccine is unnecessary for their children.

The facts:

While it’s true that COVID tends to be much milder in children than in adults, the disease still poses a threat, to both children and the population as a whole.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, at least 290 children have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 15,000 have been hospitalized. While this number is a small fraction of the overall number of deaths and hospitalizations, these numbers still matter.

It’s important to remember that reducing death isn’t the only reason we vaccinate; there are other, possibly long-term side effects such as long-lasting damage to blood vessels — even for those children who had mild cases of COVID.

In addition, with every infection comes the risk of viral mutation, which could increase the overall population risk from COVID. One article explains how the possibility of variants from any cause can be addressed: "The higher the proportion of a population vaccinated, the lower the number of susceptible individuals, and the fewer opportunities SARS-CoV-2 will have to spread and mutate"

Kids and Side Effects

Good news! The Pfizer COVID vaccine has been approved for use in children 12-15 years old. We know that the post-vaccine yuck that some folks feel is our immune system at work. But what about 12-15-year-olds? They have really great immune systems. Are their side effects going to be worse?

The facts:

Some are concerned about the possible side effects they may face, but in trials, the side effects observed were similar to those observed in the 16-25 age group and adults. The most common side effects were pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle aches and fevers. Side effects were most common after the second dose.

COVID and the Other Vaccines

Is your adolescent due for vaccines this summer, and you are wondering if you can get them done at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine?

The facts:

More good news.

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice decided that people no longer needed to wait 14 days on either side of a COVID-19 vaccine to receive other vaccines. This decision was based on many decades of experience about how other inactivated vaccines work when administered concomitantly (at the same time as others).

While some live vaccines may interfere with others when not administered with the proper space of timing, the COVID-19 vaccine is not a live vaccine. Just don't forget to get your second dose!

The COVID-19 Myths and Facts are compiles by the public health directors in Henry, Jefferson and Washington counties — Shelley Van Dorin, Chris Estle and Danielle Pettit-Majewski.