Children ages five to eleven can now be vaccinated for Covid-19.

Under an Emergency Use Authorization, the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, known as COMIRNATY, can be administered to this age group. Getting yourself and your children vaccinated is the best thing you can do to protect your family and your community from the virus. Atracare is now offering pediatric and adult Covid-19 vaccinations. Practice Manager Dr. Will Albanese, and Marketing Director Chris David discuss common concerns and questions in this episode of “Between Two patients”.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric Covid Vaccines

Why Should My Child Be Vaccinated Against Covid-19? 

• There have been 8,900 pediatric hospitalizations from Covid. The delta variant brought a sharp increase of Covid cases in younger patients. That’s why it’s so important to get your children vaccinated so they can be protected from the virus. 
• We know that vaccinations help reduce transmission. Vaccination won’t stop you from getting Covid, but it will reduce the severity of symptoms and slow the spread of the virus. There is a twenty-fold factor decrease in the chance of getting hospitalized from Covid if you get vaccinated. 

Are There Any Side Effects? 

• The CDC states that headache, nausea, fatigue, fever, chills, and muscle pain are all normal, non-serious side effects that can occur when you get the Covid-19 vaccine. Swelling, redness, and tenderness at the injection site are also common. 
• One of the biggest concerns about the vaccine is the risk of myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart tissue. Myocarditis is a serious but very rare side effect. The risk of getting myocarditis from a Covid infection is much higher than the risk of getting it from the vaccine. There seems to be a correlation between adult males and myocarditis. This may be because they have increased levels of testosterone. When you get myocarditis from the virus, you’ll typically spend several days in the hospital because the virus causes more damage. If you get it from the vaccine, you’ll be able to recover at home in less time.

Is the Covid-19 Vaccination Safe for Kids? 

• The pediatric version of COMIRNATY is a third of the dosage, ten micrograms rather than thirty. In clinical trials, there were very few adverse reactions to the vaccine in children ages 5-11. 3,500 children in this age group were tested, and the vaccine has been proven safe for them. Getting the vaccine is safer than getting the virus. 

What’s in the Vaccine? 

• The vaccine contains salts, sugars, fats, and a harmless piece of mRNA from the virus that allows your immune system to build defenses against Covid. The vaccine does not contain metals, preservatives, antibiotics, tissues, food proteins, latex, or medications.

Atracare is Your Premier Partner in Health

At Atracare, we are doing everything we can to get the people in our community vaccinated. Currently, we have 600 pediatric doses and plenty of adult doses ready to be administered. Children can get vaccinated when they come into our office for a pediatric visit, and we are hosting several pop-up vaccination clinics in the community. You can visit the calendar on our website to find out more about these vaccination events. If you want to schedule an appointment, the best, fastest way to reach us is by texting the phone number on our website.