The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 get a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination series.
“With kids start going to summer camps being around people that they’re not usually around. It is a good idea to think about getting your child boosted,” Anne Pace, Kavanaugh Pharmacy owner, said.
According to the CDC, this month over 15 thousand children between the ages of 5 to 11 were hospitalized due to Covid.
As we head into the summer months pharmacists suggest getting your children boosted as soon as possible.
“Oftentimes people don’t think of our viruses because we don’t think about flu a lot in the summer. But we have seen a resurgence and Covid just over the last month or so,” Pace said.
The vaccines and boosters assist in boosting the immune system to slow down the spread of the covid-19 as well as reducing harmful symptoms in those who do contract the virus.
“Our immunity… We have seen the immunity to the Covid virus starts to wane after a while. And so with the drug companies looking at that, with Pfizer looking at the data and seeing that the kids immunity is probably waning and would benefit from a booster,” Pace said.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for kids?
As of late May 2022, more than 18.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to children in the 5-to-11 age group. Most COVID-19 vaccine side effects – such as pain at the injection site – have been mild and short-lived in children. Fatigue, headache and muscle aches are other common side effects.
Reports suggest that most cases of myocarditis that follow vaccination typically improve quickly with medicine and rest. Rates of myocarditis have been lower in children ages 5 to 11 than in teens. In any age group, myocarditis is more likely to occur after infection than vaccination.
CVS said that eligible patients can schedule an additional dose four months after their initial booster at CVS.com, MinuteClinic.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app. Same-day or walk-in vaccination appointments may be possible, CVS said, but subject to local demand.
