The Jefferson County Health Department has announced that youngsters ages 5-11 now are eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration and Wisconsin Department of Health Services have approved the immunization of children in that age group.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for children and adolescents age 5 and up as a two-dose series taken three weeks apart. The dose for children ages 5-11 is one-third of the dosage of the vaccine for older adolescents and adults.
A child may get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including flu vaccine, at the same time.
Health officials said that vaccination is the best way to protect children 5 and older from the coronavirus.
“COVID-19 has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death, and thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized with COVID-19,” officials said. “Vaccinating children will help protect them from getting COVID-19 and therefore reducing their risk of severe disease, hospitalizations, or developing long-term COVID-19 complications.”
They said that children with underlying medical conditions are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared with children without underlying medical conditions. Getting children vaccinated can help protect them against COVID-19, as well as reduce disruptions to in-person learning and activities by helping curb community transmission, officials said.
“The vaccine is safe and effective,” they noted. “Before being authorized for children, scientists and medical experts completed their review of safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials of thousands of children. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was rigorously tested and reviewed, and over 11 million adolescents ages 12-17 have already safely received the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Officials said that cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination are rare; the risk of developing myocarditis after a COVID-19 infection is much higher than the risk of developing myocarditis after the vaccine. Similar to what was seen in adult vaccine trials, vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 illness among children aged 5-11 years.
Parents should talk to their child before vaccination about what to expect afterward.
• Side effects from COVID-19 vaccines are typically mild and subside in one to two days. The most common side effects observed in clinical trials were sore arms, as were fatigue, headaches, or a slight fever.
• Tell the doctor or nurse about any allergies your child may have, or history of adverse reactions to vaccines.
• It is not recommended to give pain relievers before vaccination to try to prevent side effects. It is fine to do so afterwards to alleviate any pain or discomfort.
• After your child’s COVID-19 vaccination, you will be asked to stay for 15 to 30 minutes so your child can be observed in case they have a severe allergic reaction and need immediate treatment.
The Jefferson County Health Department will be administering COVID-19 vaccine at the health department Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the department at (920) 674-7275.
Persons should visit the department’s COVID-19 Dashboard, website or social media for more information.
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