RHONDELLA: VACCINES EXPERTS FOR THE CDC WILL MEET EARLY NEXT MONTH TO DECIDE WHEERTH TO RECOMMEND PFIZER’S COVID VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 5. JENNIFER: HEERO T ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. MARK SIEDNER, T THE EPIDEMIOLOGIST WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TH ISMORNING. WE KNOW PARENTS HOPE TO HAVE A VACCINATION AVAILABLE BEFORE HALLOWEEN BUT THANKSGIVING MAY BE MORE LIKELY. DO YOU THINK FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE GIVING THEMSELVES ENGHOU TIME TO REVIEW SAFETY DATA AND THE SIDE-EFFECT S? >> YEAH, I THINK FOR MANY PARENTS, KIDS IN SCHOOLS, THIS DECISION COULDN’T COME SOON ENOUGH. THERE ARE ALMOST A MILLION CASES OF CHILDREN WITH COVID-19 IN THE UNITED STATES IN SEPTEMBER ALONE. MOST OF THESE CASES ARE MILD, BUT HOSPITALIZATIONS DO OCCUR AND, OF COURSE, EVYER ONE OF THESE CASES IS LEADING TO SCHOOL CLOSURES AND MISSED CLASSROOM TIME. SO PFIZER DID SUBMIT TO THE FDA AND THE CDC A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF KIDS, ABOUT 4,500 KIDS UNDER2 1 THAT EITHER GOT TWO DOSES OF THE VACCINE OR THE MATCHING PLEBACO, THE CONTROL. WE’RE WAITING FOR THAT TO BE REVIEWED. THE FDA IS PORING THE DATA. RHONDELLA: PFIZER RELEASED DETAILS ABOUT THE VACCINE LAST MONTH. WE KNOW IT’S TWO STSHO 21 DAYS APART. THAT’S LIKEHE T ADULT VERSION. WHY IS THE DOSE SMALLER? >> THE STUDY CPAOMRED DOSES OF 3, 10, 20 AND 30, THE DOSEN I ADULTS. WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR IS THE DOSE OF 10, THE ONE THEY SELECTED, GAVE THE SAME ANTIBYOD RESPONSES AS THE 30 DOSE IN OERLD PEOPLE. THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND THE DOSE THAT MAXIMIZED THE RESPONSE AND MINIMIZING SIDE-EFFECTS. JENNIFER: KIDS HAVE A MHUC LEROW RISK OF SEVERE ILLNESS FROM COVID. SO IF THIS VACCINE IS AUTHORIZED, DO YOU TNKHI IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO PERSUADE SOME PARENTS THAT VACCINATION IS WORTH DOI? NG >> YES, SO WHENEVER WE MAK E THESE KINDSF O DECISIONS ABOUT OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS REVIEW ALLHE T FACTS. WE NEED TO REVIEW THE BENEFITS AND RISKS. LIKE MOST PARENTS, I HAVE THREE YOUNG CHILDREN MONDAY OF WHICH ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINATION, I CAN SEE CARLE BENEFITS FROM VACCINATION. KEEPING MY KIDS SAFE, DECREASING THGSIN LIKE ANXIETY FROM TRAVEL, AND, OF COURSE, KEEPING THEIR TEACHERS SAFE, KEEPING THEIR LOVED ONES SAFE, THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFE. VERY SOON WE’RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SIDE-EFFECTS OF THESE VACCINES IN CHILDREN AND IT’S GOING TO BE UP TO ALL OF US TO WEIGH TSEHE BENEFITS AND RISKS AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS FOR OURSELVES. THIS MIGHT BE A CLEAR DECISION, BUT WE NEED TO SEE THE DATA. RHONDELLA: WE AED ASK TON OF QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID, BUT YOU ALSO TRACK THE FLU CLOSELY. WHAT DO FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW? SHOULD THEY GET THEIR FLU SHOT THIS YEAR? >> YEAH. SO AFTER A VERY QUIET FLU SEASON LAST YEAR WITH EVERYONE BEING MAXED, SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE’RE RETURNING TO NORMAL BEHAVIOR. I THINK MOST OF US ARE EXPECTING WHAT WE SEE AS A NORMA FLLU SEASON. I THINK CASES OF FLU ARE GOING TO BE NORMAL THIS YEAR. UNLIKE COVID, FLU CAN BE QUITE SEVERE IN CHILDREN AND, OF COURSE, EVERY COUGH, FEVER AND COLD THESE DAYS IS GOING TO KEEP KIDS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. SO I THINK NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO GET YOUR FLU SHOT. IT’S ALREADY AVAILABLE. KIDS ARE ELIGIBLE. ADULTS ARE ELIGIB. LE THAT’S ONE MORE THING WE CAN DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES WHILE WE’RE WAITING FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE FOR KIDS TO COME OUT. JENNIFER: OK

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Video: Boston doctor gives latest updates on COVID-19 vaccines for young children

Updated: 10:55 AM EDT Oct 9, 2021

Anchor/Reporter

For many parents, kids and schools, the FDA’s decision on Pfizer’s vaccine for children as young as 5 years old cannot come soon enough.

BOSTON —

For many parents, kids and schools, the FDA’s decision on Pfizer’s vaccine for children as young as 5 years old cannot come soon enough.

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