Kids ages 5-11 can now get COVID vaccine
Tuolumne County parents can now make appointments for their children between 5 and 11 years old to get the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine after federal regulators recently approved an emergency use authorization for the age group.
The county Public Health Department said that appointments for children 5 to 11 will be available beginning today through California’s Myturn online vaccination scheduling system, though it may also be available through some pharmacies and health care providers.
All children age 5 and older are recommended to get the COVID-19 vaccine by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that vaccination is the best way for people to protect their children, friends and family from the deadly virus that has killed 124 Tuolumne County residents in roughly 15 months.
How many parents in the county will heed the advice of the CDC and other medical experts remains to be seen, as there has been strong resistance to the vaccines within the community driven by fears of adverse effects.
About 40% of students enrolled in county public schools participated in a statewide “walkout” on Oct. 18 to protest a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for California schoolchildren announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier that month.
The mandate will not go into effect until regulators give full approval, as opposed to emergency use authorization, to the vaccines for the applicable age groups. That’s not expected until the fall semester next year at the earliest for kids 12 to 17.
Emergency use authorization was granted by the FDA to the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 to 15 back in May, while the same was granted for everyone 16
and older a month earlier.
In a 14-0 vote Tuesday, the CDC’S Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices gave the nod for children 5 to 11 to get a dose about one-third the size of those given to adults. It comes after months of trials and studies to ensure their safety.
The percentage of people fully vaccinated in Tuolumne County continues to be lower than the state and nationwide rates, especially among the younger age groups.
Tuolumne County’s percentage of people 18 to 49 who were fully vaccinated was 38.8% as of Wednesday, compared with 71.4% statewide. The percentage of vaccinated kids 12 to 17 in the county was 35.2%, compared with 59.7% statewide.