SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – An FDA advisory committee has recommended the agency authorized COVID-19 vaccines for infants as young as 6 months old. Now, the CDC's committee of experts is set to meet Friday and Saturday to make its recommendations.
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Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the division of health policy and public health, and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, told KCBS Radio the FDA recommendation was a unanimous vote for both Pfizer and Moderna.
"In a matter of weeks, a lot of parents like myself will be able to get their children vaccinated and have the peace of mind that I think we've all been waiting for," he said.
A Pfizer vaccine for kids between 5 and 11 years old was approved months ago, but fewer than a third of kids in that age group have actually gotten the shots. Faust said he believes it's because parents do not have a full grasp on the risk of COVID-19 in children.
"The rate of vaccination for five years to 11 years is low. I think there are a number of reasons for that. Unfortunately, some of it is due to the fact that people misunderstand the risk COVID may present to children. On one hand, the average kid gets COVID and will do fine. However, on a population level — not 100 kids or 1,000 kids, but the whole population — COVID is bad enough that we see lots and lots of hospitalizations and even deaths," he explained.
Not only are there hospitalizations and deaths, but children are also vulnerable to a syndrome known as multi-inflammatory syndrome, Faust warned. "Multi-inflammatory syndrome in children is a very scary condition which can cause heart damage. We know that vaccines for five to 11 year old's, and for all ages, prevent these from occurring," he said.
With the vaccine at the door, Faust urged parents to get their children vaccinated. "Now that we have vaccine for all, six months up to over 100 years in age, it's another moment to say 'okay everybody, we have this wonderful tool in our kit, let's use it to get out of this most emergency phase of the pandemic,'" he encouraged.
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