Child Vaccination Programs Rolled Out Quickly
360,000 children under the age of 12 have gotten covid shots, while school districts are urged by the White House to provide covid shots.
AP:
Feds Urge Schools To Provide COVID-19 Shots, Info For Kids
The Biden administration is encouraging local school districts to host clinics to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to kids and information to parents on the benefits of the shots as the White House looks to speedily provide vaccines to those ages 5 to 11. First lady Jill Biden and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited the Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia, on Monday to launch a nationwide campaign to promote child vaccinations. The school was the first to administer the polio vaccine in 1954. The visit came just days after federal regulators recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for the age group. The White House says the first lady will visit pediatric vaccination clinics across the country over the coming weeks to encourage the shots. (Miller, 11/8)
The Washington Post:
CDC Data Shows 360,000 Children Under 12 Got At Least One Vaccine Dose
More than 360,000 children under 12 in the United States have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s pediatric coronavirus vaccine in 5-to-11-year-olds on Oct. 29 and the CDC recommended its use on Nov. 2. (Jeong and Timsit, 11/9)
In New York —
The New York Times:
N.Y.C. Public Schools Open Vaccination Sites For 5- To 11-Year-Olds
P.S. 40, in the Gramercy neighborhood, was one of a dozen New York City schools swamped with demand Monday morning as the city rolled out its weeklong effort to bring a half-day vaccine clinic to each of its more than 1,000 schools that serve elementary aged students. City officials acknowledged that they were caught off-guard by the demand at those schools, which far exceeded the interest last spring at school-based vaccine clinics for teenagers. They pledged to return to any school where children were turned away for lack of supply. (Otterman and Wong, 11/8)
Bloomberg:
NYC Gives City Workers Sick Leave To Get Kids Vaccinated
New York City is extending additional paid sick leave to city workers and contractors so they can get their children vaccinated, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a briefing Monday. He said workers would get four extra hours per child for each shot their children receive. (Chen, 11/8)
Doctors and health experts explain vaccines for kids —
NBC News:
What Pediatricians Want Parents To Know About The Covid Vaccine For Kids
As the Covid-19 vaccine has been rolling out for children ages 5 to 11, questions for pediatricians have been rolling in. Many parents are simply wondering where they can find the long-awaited vaccine locally — and fast. Plenty other questions are from parents with a range of concerns about safety and effectiveness in kids. (Stenson, 11/8)
Austin American-Statesman:
What's The Truth About Kids, COVID Vaccine Side Effects And Fertility?
One of the most common misconceptions, which doctors heard when teens became eligible as well, has to do with the effect the vaccine might have on future fertility. It's a myth, says Dr. Elizabeth Knapp, a pediatrician with Austin Regional Clinic. "Of course, for any new medicine, any new vaccine, we have questions," she said. "Could there be side effects? That's a very rational thought." Knapp explained that the building blocks of mRNA vaccines such as the Pfizer COVID-19 shot for kids are not new. (Villalpando, 11/8)
The Atlantic:
Will A COVID Vaccine Make My Kid Immune By Thanksgiving?
A first COVID shot will give kids some protection, but none of them will be fully vaccinated until the beginning of December. (Wu, 11/8)
Thus far, the initiative seems to be accepted —
Axios:
Axios-Ipsos Poll: No Widespread COVID School Backlash
Most Americans — including more than two-thirds of Republicans — give their local schools good marks for balancing public health and safety with other priorities, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Other findings from our national survey suggest Americans are less worried about COVID risks and largely feel the Delta variant is behind them. That's a potential path to redemption for President Biden after months of sinking approval numbers. (Talev, 11/9)
