Vaccine safety update
Q: With all the conflicting stuff I hear about the COVID-19 vaccines (which I got), I am wondering if it’s really safe to get my young kids vaccinated -when they are available. What do you think? -- Jaylee J., Pine Plains, New York
A: First off, congrats for getting your COVID-19 vaccination. Second, we understand some COVID-19 vaccine info seems confusing. Since the crisis hit and we had to scramble to learn about the disease and develop vaccines, the guidelines have changed frequently. The good news is that what we know about the disease and the vaccines has evolved. We keep getting new, refined data that confirms the shots’ safety.
Third, rare side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are just that, rare. Realize, finding out about side effects doesn’t make the vaccines riskier -- it makes them safer. Doctors then know what to look for and how to treat the reactions if they arise.
Fourth, if you’re also asking about vaccines in general that are administered to newborns, infants, children and adults, the answer is “yes, they’re safe.” Dr. Mike’s research shows that the benefits are 35,000 times greater than the risks. And a brand-new study updating a positive vaccine safety review from 2014 backs that up. Looking at vaccines for influenza, measles, mumps, shingles, whooping cough, tetanus and Hpv-associated cancers, researchers found no increased risk of autism among children following the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). For older children and adolescents, there was no evidence of increased risk from the newer 9-valent HPV and the meningitis B vaccines. For adults, there was no evidence of increased risk for adverse events for the new zoster vaccine which prevents shingles, the hepatitis B vaccine with a novel immunesystem stimulant, or new influenza vaccines recommended for older adults.
We’re blessed to have these vaccines available -- and we hope parents will continue to spare their children from the nightmare of diseases like polio, measles and whooping cough, as well as the flu and COVID-19.