Majority Of Parents Want Their Kids Vaccinated: Patch Survey

NEW YORK, NY — Pfizer-BioNTech asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the beginning of October to clear its shot for children aged between 5 and 11 years old. With that approval possibly coming soon, Patch sent out a survey to see where parents stand on having their child vaccinated.

Of the nearly 90 parents of children aged 5 to 11 that responded to Patch's survey, 64 percent of them said they plan on having them vaccinated, while 22 percent of responders said they won't get their kids vaccinated, and 14 percent said they were undecided.

Children over 12 can already be vaccinated, and the news that younger kids would possibly be able to get vaccinated soon was welcomed by many New York officials.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said that pediatricians should be ready to put vaccines to children as soon as the green light is given.

"Our focus remains keeping kids in schools, returning people to work, and reopening New York safely," Hochul said. "We all know the best way to ensure our continued progress is to get more shots in arms."

Overall, 57 percent of responders to the Patch survey said they were highly confident in the effectiveness of the vaccine. Just 12.6 percent of survey takers said they were not confident at all.

The numbers were almost identical for responders' confidence in the safety of vaccines now available.

"I would have my child vaccinated right away," one responder said. We have had other vaccines for children that age, why not now?"

Pfizer shots could be given to children aged 5 to 11 in a matter of weeks if approval is granted, according to the Associated Press. It would be the first COVID vaccine available to kids under 12 in the nation and could help protect more 28 million people, the New York Times reports.

An independent review panel is slated to debate Pfizer's evidence on Oct. 26. A decision is expected sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Pfizer has previously said that children between 5 and 11 would receive a third of the adult dose.

Here are the full results of the Patch survey: