Vaccines Could Soon Be Available To Kids Younger Than 5 In Ohio

OHIO — Ohio is preparing to vaccinate kids as young as 6-months-old against COVID-19, if government agencies approve doses for young children.

While vaccines have not yet been approved for that age group, the Food and Drug Administration is currently evaluating trial data from Pfizer that would allow doses for children as young as 6 months, NPR reported. Currently, vaccines are approved for kids as young as 5.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is currently working with more than 3,800 vaccine providers across the state to quickly roll out vaccines in the event that doses for children as young as 6-months are approved, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of ODH.

"There's no doubt children are generally less likely than adults to become severely ill with COVID-19, but we need to remember they most certainly can and unfortunately do become ill, even seriously ill, and can suffer lasting complications from the virus," Vanderhoff said during a news conference Thursday.

Ohio hospitals are caring for children with COVID-19, and the worst illnesses in those age groups occur among the unvaccinated, according to Dr. Sara Bode, primary care pediatrician and medical director Care Connection School-Based Health and Mobile Clinics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

"I think this is a really important step forward in our fight against COVID-19," she said. "And getting to the least restrictive environment we can, so everyone can go forward with what they need to do in their daily lives."

As of Thursday, more than 7 million Ohioans had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, only 24 percent of Ohio children (ages 5 to 11) had received a COVID-19 vaccine, the state health department reported.

• Read more: 4th COVID Shot? Those At-Risk In Ohio May Be Eligible

Here are other notes from Thursday's Ohio Department of Health news conference.

A Surge Fades

Ohio's omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge is receding as quickly as it arose, medical officials said Thursday, but now is not the time to "let our guard down."

"There is no doubt we're quickly moving in the right direction," Vanerhoff said. "It's simply too early for us to declare victory given the reality that thousands of Ohioans are still being diagnosed with COVID-19 each and every day."

COVID-19-related hospitalizations hit a pandemic high on Jan. 11 when more than 6,700 Ohioans were hospitalized because of the virus. As of Wednesday, 2,800 Ohioans were hospitalized due to COVID-19.

"A further sign the omicron wave is receding about as quickly as it arose," Vanderhoff said.

The steep decline is most evident in Cuyahoga County, where the surge first began. In January, the county had a case rate of 3,000 cases per 100,000 residents. As of this week, Cuyahoga County's COVID-19 case rate is 189 cases per 100,000 residents.

The case rate change was described as a "sharp and welcome drop," by Vanderhoff.

While nearly every part of Ohio is seeing similarly steep declines in case rates and hospitalizations, southern Ohio is struggling with COVID-19 surges. The region is seeing fewer cases, but case rates aren't dropping as quickly as other regions, Vanderhoff said.

Vaccination Remains Important For Everyone

Ohioans who were fully vaccinated and had received a booster shot were less likely to suffer severe illness after contracting COVID-19 and less likely to be hospitalized because of their illness, said Dr. Steve Gordon, chair of infectious disease at the Cleveland Clinic.

He added that it's unlikely COVID-19 "goes away" but it will continue to evolve with new variants. That's why testing and vaccination will continue to be important for medical officials looking to stay ahead of future surges.

"Vaccine-induced immunity is the safest and most dependable way to acquire [protection against COVID-19]," Gordon said.