Nov 4, 2021 5 min read

Children ages 5 to 11 will start getting their first COVID-19 vaccine injections this week after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday approved the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use for that age group.

“I think it’s fabulous,” said Dr. Michael Faust, a pediatrician at Washington Health System. “Based on the studies we have, the safety of the vaccine seems to not be an issue, and certainly getting vaccinated is the best thing to do.”

Pennsylvania vaccine providers, including pediatricians, primary care physicians, family doctors, pharmacies, large retailers, health centers and grocery stores, are preparing to administer the vaccine, starting this week.

Many vaccine pre-orders have already been delivered, with more expected in the coming days and weeks.

Washington Health System is planning an upcoming pediatric COVID vaccine clinic at Washington Hospital. Bentworth, Washington, and Mt. Lebanon school districts also plan to schedule clinics, and Charleroi Area School District is partnering with UPMC for a pediatric clinic, but details haven’t been finalized.

Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday, “The availability of the new pediatric vaccine is great news in the fight against COVID-19. This will provide comfort for parents, teachers, pediatricians and community members across the commonwealth – knowing that we have a safe and effective way to protect more of our children from COVID-19-related illness.”

Faust said even though children are far less likely to get seriously ill or die from COVID, tens of thousands have been hospitalized, and, according to CDC data, at least 655 children have died.

“People question the need for giving it to children, and I’m sensitive to that, but it’s not like kids don’t get serious infection from this. It’s not like the burden of the elderly, but there have been thousands of hospitalizations of children and hundreds have died,” said Faust.

He also noted a number of children and teens (more than 5,000) have developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, and others have developed myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart.

Vaccinating children also can play a role in reducing community transmission of COVID-19.

While COVID-19 cases have decreased in recent weeks, the level of community transmission remains high in about 90% of counties in the United States, including Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.

“We’ve known for a long time the primary spreaders of infectious disease in the community is children, largely school-age, and the idea of being able to vaccinate them to prevent spread throughout the community is pretty beneficial,” said Faust.

Clinical trials have shown the COVID-19 vaccine to be nearly 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children between the ages of 5 and 11.

For 5- to 11-year-olds, the vaccine is administered in two doses, with the second dose coming three weeks after the first. A dose of the Pfizer vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds contains one-third the amount of active ingredient compared to the dose for children 12 and older.

No serious side effects were reported among 3,100 children ages 5 to 11 who received the vaccine in the ongoing clinical trials.

A risk of myocarditis and pericarditis, especially after the second vaccine dose for boys and men ages 12 to 29, has been observed in studies of the vaccine in that population. For that reason, a warning will be included in the fact sheet for the vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 as well.

Faust pointed out that studies show the risk of heart problems after getting COVID is significantly higher, and more serious, than after the getting vaccination.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Wolensky said in a statement, “As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated.”

Faust also said he was pleased that more than 50% of children over 12 have been vaccinated in Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties.

“I’m hopeful the vaccination rates of children in the 5 to 11 age range follow that trend,” he said.

Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said the department will continue to encourage all Pennsylvanians to get their COVID-19 vaccine. “We are very excited that we can now include children ages 5 and over in that effort,” said Beam.

WHS asked parents not to bring their 5- to 1-year-old children to the 12 and over vaccine clinics currently underway at Washington Hospital and WHS Greene.

Meanwhile, if parents have a child who is a patient at the following locations and are interested in scheducling a vaccination appointment, please call their office. The locations are: WHS Washington Pediatrics, WHS Family Medicine California, WHS Waterdam Pediatrics, WHS Family Medicine Canonsburg, WHS Family Medicine Cecil, WHS Family Medicine Neighbor Health, or WHS Family Medicine Waynesburg.

Those who aren’t a patient at a WHS primary care or pediatric office can email covidvaccine@whs.org.

Currently, children ages 5 through 11 can only receive the Pfizer 5- to- 11-year-old vaccine; children ages 12 through 17 can only receive the Pfizer 12-and-older vaccine, and adults age 18 and older can choose from the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

To find the nearest COVID-19 vaccine provider, visit www.Vaccines.gov.