Oklahoma doctors reviewing COVID-19 vaccine for children receiving mixed reactions from families

OKLAHOMA, Okla. (KOKI) — Local doctors are examining the results of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11, but until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives approval, they still cannot offer the vaccine to families wanting one for their youngest members.

Pfizer announced Monday that its vaccine is safe and effective for use in children ages 5-11, but their smaller bodies only need one third of the dose amount given to adults and teens.

“Doctors will not do anything until it is given FDA approval,” said Dr. Donna Tyungu, OU Health specialist focusing in pediatric infectious diseases.

Tyungu said there is mixed reaction she is seeing among the families she meets with. Some are eager to vaccinate the youngest members of their families just like they did for everyone in their family 12 and older. Others, who may have been comfortable getting the adult dosage of a COVID-19 vaccine, are hesitant to give their child a new vaccine that as of this writing still is under consideration for emergency use authorization.

With the release of a vaccine for elementary school-aged children, this will be the last major segment of the population to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when it is approved. Right now, there is evidence that some children are spreading the virus to each other at school, and then they are bringing it home to older family members who may have a harder time with the disease.

COVID Delta, Tyungu said, is also impacting younger aged people far more than the original strain was.

She said once a vaccine for children is administered, it could take six to eight weeks for the benefits of it to start showing up in daily and weekly health data. It is expected, vaccinating that segment of the population, will allow for cases to at least dip or the number during any new peaks will be shallower than before a vaccine was available for children.

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