CINCINNATI — COVID-19 vaccines are now available to young kids and infants after the shots received final approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this past weekend.
Vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna were approved for children as young as six months. The vaccines use the same technology as the shots for adults, but the doses are smaller.
Millions of doses have been ordered already across the country. The White House opened up preordering weeks ago.
Local clinics are gearing up to begin vaccinating young kids. Dr. Chris Peltier, a doctor at Pediatric Associates of Mt. Carmel, told WCPO the practice is hoping to receive vaccine shipments early this week. He said the clinic ordered 100 doses for each of their three office locations and can put a new order in each week.
Surveys show many parents remain hesitant to vaccinate their children. A recent KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor survey found less than one in five parents of children under age five plan to get their kids vaccinated right away.
Because of this, Dr. Peltier, who also serves as the president-elect of the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, does not expect a big rush for shots. Still, he said many families have been waiting for this moment.
“I would say the biggest thing is relief,” he said. “I think that they're finally going to be able to exhale and have some comfort that their children are going to be protected, especially as many of them head back into the fall season with preschools for these younger kids and daycares as parents are going back to work with with the economy opening back up.”
Dr. Peltier said parents will be able to get children vaccinated at routine well visits, as well as at dedicated vaccine clinic times.
Other providers are gearing up for rollout too. Hamilton County Public Health and Cincinnati Children’s also said they have ordered doses already.
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