NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A new coloring book aims to help ease the vaccination process for younger kids following the CDC's approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
For a child, coronavirus and needles can be scary.
In an effort to prepare young children for the vaccine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has put together a coloring book in which the vaccine is the hero in the form of a smiling syringe with a shield doing battle against a sinister sphere — the evil coronavirus.
Dr. Jennifer Harman said the "St. Jude Coloring Book: COVID-19 Vaccines" is a useful tool for educating little ones about the shot and gives children a realistic expectation of what to expect.
"It talks about how the vaccine works with the body's immune system and it really presents the immune system almost as like this superhero that helps keep you well. That's language and imagery that kids can really get into and it just makes it not as threatening for them," Harman said.
The coloring book features simplified age-appropriate language to help families explain COVID-19 and vaccines to their kids.
"One of the things that I really like most about this coloring book is that it on the different pages provides actual verbiage that families can use when talking about these things, which I think is really useful, particularly for those who maybe struggle with finding the words to present the information to kids and a kid-friendly manner," Harman said.
"It's got a picture of a kid who's not feeling well and it's explaining that most people who get COVID-19, they only get a little bit sick, kind of like when you get a cold or a flu," Harman added. "It talks about different ways that you can stay healthy — like keeping your distance, and wearing a mask, and staying six feet apart, and washing your hands, but it also talks about this vaccine being like a superhero."
The book also explains that there are different COVID-19 vaccines and the various symptoms that can result from the shot.
"Again, it gives that great imagery for kids of your immune system being like a team of superheroes that protects you from germs," Harman said.
The coloring book is available for free at the Together by St. Jude website.
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