Vaccine Approved For Kids: What To Know In Jeffco

JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO — The new COVID-19 vaccine rollout for kids ages 5 to 11 will help boost herd immunity in many Colorado counties, including Jeffco, public health officials said.

The Food and Drug Administration already cleared the Pfizer vaccine dose for kids in that age group, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the final signoff on Tuesday. An advisory panel unanimously decided to give the green light for the kids' dose, which is a third of the dose given to adults.

The vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 was around 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, and 100 percent effective at preventing severe disease and death, public health officials said. The vaccine’s safety was studied in around 3,100 children ages 5 to 11 who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study, according to researchers.

Dr. Sarah Rowan, medical director for Jefferson County Public Health, called the approval of the vaccine for kids "a beacon of hope for our community."

"After nearly two years of struggling with this virus — and our children facing negative effects to their physical, mental, social and emotional health and development — parents can finally breathe a sigh of relief that their children can now be protected from getting COVID-19 or spreading it to loved ones,” Rowan said in a statement.

“This vaccine will allow children to more safely attend school, gather with friends and family and enjoy activities away from home without the nagging fear of their kids getting COVID-19.”

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Since the pandemic began, more than 3,100 cases of COVID-19 have been reported among children ages 5 to 11 in Jefferson County, and more than 39,200 cases have been reported in that age group in Colorado, public health officials said.

The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses, around three weeks apart.

"Just like teens and adults, children may experience side effects after vaccination," Jeffco Public Health said in a news release. "These side effects are normal and show that the body is building an immune response. Most commonly, side effects are mild and can include tiredness, headache, soreness, chills and fever."

The COVID-19 vaccine can be given at the same time as other shots, such as the flu shot or other routine childhood vaccines, public health officials said.

"The COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11, and it is an important addition to the childhood vaccination schedule," Rowan said. "Just like other vaccines we recommend for children, this vaccine can help keep our kids safe from a disease that can have serious consequences.

“While children have been less affected by COVID-19 compared with adults, children can get COVID-19, get seriously ill and spread COVID-19 to others. Similar to national and state trends, we’ve recently seen more cases among children in Jeffco.”

Jeffco sites offering the vaccine to children can be found here, or on the county's COVID-19 Vaccines for Children webpage.

“While demand may outpace supply during the early weeks of the availability of the pediatric vaccine, JCPH encourages all our community members to remain patient — the vaccine is here,” Rowan said.

“COVID-19 vaccines can help our children get back to the things they love — and as adults, there’s nothing better than seeing the kids in our community thrive.”