A big vaccine decision is ahead for kids born in 2010
Pfizer is seeking approval in Canada and the U.S. for its COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to children aged 5 to 11.
Nearly three million additional Canadians and more than 28 million more Americans are expected to soon qualify for the vaccination. This is an important development: a greater proportion of the population will become vaccinated — as colder weather approaches and we spend more time indoors — and the additional cohort covers just about everyone attending primary school.
The pediatric version of the COVID-19 vaccination comes with a notably reduced dosage. Separate vials are also expected for administering the smaller doses.
Vaccine rollout plans for this age cohort will soon need implementation. Such plans remain unclear, however.
Will COVID-19 vaccinations — like other vaccinations — be mandated for those attending school? Will shots for this age group be administered in schools? Will a sufficient supply be available in Canada soon after approval?
If COVID-19 vaccinations do become available during November, parents of children aged 11 — or those born in 2010 — face a dilemma. Should such children receive the pediatric version of Pfizer’s vaccination as soon as it is made available to them? Or does it become advisable to wait a month or two, until they qualify for the regular (full) dosage given to those aged 12 and over?
Forthcoming provincial or federal vaccination campaigns need to be responsive to such questions. Surely, there will be anxious parents seeking advisement.
When marketers establish age groups of interest, it is desirable to avoid being too broad. For example, a target market of those ages 18 to 55 makes it challenging to simultaneously appeal to the entire cohort.
While the age group of 5 to 11 does not appear overly broad, an 11-yearold seems to have more in common with a 12-year-old than those aged 5. I have not seen policymakers explicitly explain why age 12 was established as the dividing line between pediatric and regular dosage; perhaps it is meant to recognize the process of puberty.
Sometimes the designation of age groups can appear arbitrary. When those aged 80 and over were identified as an initial priority group for COVID-19 vaccinations, some households became divided concerning eligibility (such as couples where one member was 80 and the other was 79).
Still, with pediatric COVID-19 vaccination approval expected very late in the calendar year, the timing does prompt questions about which cohort those born in 2010 should fall within.
This matter is a common consideration among marketers when dealing with targeting strategies. If the target age group (such as 18 to 24) remains consistent, the group of interest is in fact dynamic over time. Each year, some people enter the cohort of interest while others exit.
Regardless, vaccination campaigns will soon need to be tailored toward parents and guardians.