Video: Should children under age 5 still wear masks indoors? Boston pediatric doctor weighs in
Updated: 11:06 AM EST Mar 5, 2022
RHONDELLA: BOSTON DROPS ITS FACE MAKES — FA MCEASK MANDATE. JENNIFER: HERE TO ANERSW YOUR QUESTIONS AS THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL RFO CHILDREN. DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN FIVE WHO CANNOT GET VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 YET. DO YOU THINK IT IS STILL SERAF THEM TO ENTER STORES AND RESTAURANTS WITHOUT A MASK ON? >> GREAT QUESTION. A LOT OF CHANGES, PHYSICALLY AND PSHOYCLOGICALLY FOR FAMILIES. I HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT HOW FAMILIES MIGHT HAVE THEIR OWN SKMA MANDATES, EVEN IF COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE THEM. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHO CANNOT GET VACCINATED BECAUSE OF AGE OR OTHER MEDICAL REASONS, WHO MIGHT BE VULNERABLE TO HOME, WHO MIGHTOT N HAVE AS GOOD A RESPONSE TO THE VACCINE. REMEMBERING THESE NEW COMMUNITY LEVELS OF THE CDC RELEASED LAST WEEK TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NOT JUST COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION BUT AOLS THE IMPACT OF COVID, HOW MANY PATIENTS ARE HOSPITALIZED, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF BEDS ARE OCCUPIED BY COVID PATIENTS, BUT ALSO THE RATE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION THAT IS NOW CONSIDEREDOW L IS STILL A LOT HIGHER THAN WHAT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED WLO BEFORE, AND THAT IS WHY SO MANY AREAS IN THE COUNTRY RAPIDLY CHANGED FROM RED, ORANGE, TO GREEN. WHILE EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS RIGHT NOW IS ALL GREEN, INCLUDING SUFFIX COUNTY, INCLUDING BOST,ON WHICH HAD BEEN IN THE MEDIUM LEVEL LAST WEEK, IT IS NOW GREEN AGAIN. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE IS NO TRANSMISSION. THERE IS SLLTI TRANSMISSION AND IT IS MORE THAN WHAT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED LOW IN THE PAST. SO A QUICK TRIP INTO A GROCERY STORE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN A THREE HOUR DINNER IN A CROWDED RE STAURANT. — RESTAURANT UNMASKED SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT A FAMILIES INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND TALK WITH YOUR FAMILY’’ PHYSICIANS AS L — PHYSICIANS IF UYO ARE — AND EMPOWER YOUR CHILDREN TO SAY, FOR US, A MASK IS STILL IMPORTANT, LIKE EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT RULES ABOUT BEDTIMES DAN BEHAVIOR. MASK WEARING MIG CHTONTINUING FOR SOME FAMILIES. RHONDELLA: IT IS IMPORTANT. YOU HAVE TO THINK IT THROUGHOR F YOUR OWN FAMILY. >> ABSOLUTELY. RHONDELLA: HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK PARENTS HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A VACCINE AUTHORIZED FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS? >> GREAT QUESTION. I THINK WE WILL START SEEING REMO DATA ABOUT THE THIRD YDA — TRDHI DOSE IN THE SERIES NEXT MONTH. CHILDREN HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN VACCINE STUDIES SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PFIZER TRIAL, BUT WITH THE YOUNGEST KIDS WHO RECEIVED A .1 DOES SO THE ADULT DOES, THE SIX MONTHS TO UNRDE TWO YEARS HAD A GOOD RESPONSE BUT THE TWO TO FOUR DID NOT AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT JUST IS SOME BETTER THAN NONE AFTER TWO DOSESUT B REALLY LOOKING AT WHERE WE WOULD BE AFTER THREE DOSES TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE WE ARE GIVING A FULLY EFFECTIVE VACCINEER SIES. I’M HOPEFUL MONTH WILL HAVE MORE DATA THAT THE FDA WILL BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND GET TO THE CDC TO PROVIDE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. JENNIFER: ANOTHER POINT HERE, THE CDC ESTIMATES NEARLY 60% OF AMERICAN CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OLD WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED — OLD HAVE BEEN INFECTED. DO YOU THING THAT NUMBER SEEMS HIGHR OIS IT ACCURATE? >> I THINK IT IS ACCURATE GIVEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, TESTING WAS FOCUSED ON ADULTS, THOSE AT HIGHER RISK OF NEEDING TO BE HOSPITALIZED, SO WE SORT OF ASSUMED FAMILIES AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD BE INFECT.ED AND REMEMBERING THAT IN RECENT WEEKS, IN THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS WITH OMICRON, WHICH HAS BEEN SO MUCH MORE HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE, EVEN THOUGITH HAS CAUSED MINOR ILLNESS, OMICRON HAS SUEDRG DURING WINTER FOR ACACIA DAN — WINTERFRICAONTI WHERE PEOPLE WERE TRAVELING WITH LESS CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. IT ALLEDOW FOR MANY MORE CHILDREN TO BECOME INFECTED. IT IS IMPORTANTOT REMEMBER THE STUDY — THE DATA CDC RELEASED IS LOOKING AT ANTIBODY LEVELS BUT NOT HOW MUCH. IT WAS EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SAYING YES SOMEONE HAD COVID IN THE PAST BUT DOES NOT LOOK AT WHETHER THOSE ANTIBODIES ARE PROTECTIVE ENOUGH TO PROTECT AGAINST FEINCTION. JENNIF:ER DOCTOR, CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF DIS
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Video: Should children under age 5 still wear masks indoors? Boston pediatric doctor weighs in
Updated: 11:06 AM EST Mar 5, 2022
The city of Boston’s indoor mask mandate is no longer in effect as of Saturday, but children who are younger than 5 years old are still not eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The city of Boston’s indoor mask mandate is no longer in effect as of Saturday, but children who are younger than 5 years old are still not eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
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