Now that children aged five and above are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines, parents are hesitant to subject them to the vaccination process for fear of the unknown consequences the biological preparations have on the young ones. Many are more afraid, thinking that the vaccines could get their kids sick of COVID-19 before they are afforded their promised protection.
Can Kids Get Sick Of COVID-19 From Any Vaccine?
Ever since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children aged five and above, the Centers for Disease Control and Administration (CDC) has been encouraging parents to have their kids vaccinated to ensure their protection against the novel coronavirus.
However, many feared that the COVID-19 vaccines carry the virus that causes the infection. What many people do not know is that the vaccines for kids use the same ingredients as the ones for adults. The difference mainly lies in their dosing. The COVID-19 vaccine dose given to kids aged five through 11 is not the same for teens and adults. The dosage varies based on age and not weight, just like other routinely recommended vaccines, like flu or hepatitis, as per a CDC infographic on vaccines and immunizations.
As of late, only Pfizer’s vaccine for kids has been authorized for distribution and use. This mRNA vaccine does not use the live virus that causes COVID-19, and it does not interact with the human DNA in any way. Instead, the vaccine teaches the body how to fight the novel coronavirus by introducing mRNA that directs the cells to produce an immune response against the virus. The body gets rid of the mRNA after some time. Hence, recipients of the vaccine do not get COVID-19 from the vaccine but become equipped with the right tools to combat an infection.
Is Natural Immunity Better For My Child?
There is a notion that natural immunity can provide better protection from COVID-19 in kids than vaccines. But this has been proven false. While busting myths about the vaccines, the CDC indicated that getting vaccinated is a safer and more dependable way of building immunity against COVID-19 than getting sick with the coronavirus since this offers a more predictable immune response than infection with the virus.
There are about 28 million children between five and 11 in the United States. Thus far, the country has recorded nearly 2 million cases of infection within this age group. As the pandemic officially entered its third-year last month, experts are keen on having eligible children get vaccinated, to lower their risk of catching the virus and its variants, getting sick, hospitalized, or even dying. Experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine said the vaccines will not only protect the younger generation but will also help reduce the spread of the virus and restore a more normal life moving forward.
For hesitant parents, the CDC assured the safety of the vaccines on its website, saying that clinical trials were conducted with thousands of kids before the FDA authorized the use of Pfizer’s vaccine in children. Furthermore, experts continuously keep track of COVID-19 vaccination for kids through the most comprehensive and intense vaccine safety monitoring program in the U.S. The CDC and the FDA use their findings for updates on vaccine recommendations.