COVID-19 vaccines should become a routine part of a child’s vaccination schedule, an advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ruled yesterday.
If approved by the CDC and individual states, the COVID-19 vaccine would become part of the vaccination schedule the same as, for instance, the vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and haemophilus influenzae type b for children from birth to 6 years old; and human papillomavirus, polio, and measles, mumps, and rubella for children 7 to 18 years old.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), comprised of medical and scientific experts appointed by Xavier Becerra, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), voted unanimously to have the COVID-19 vaccine added to the CDC’s Vaccines for Children Program.
ACIP member Sara Oliver, M.D., said that “the incorporation of the COVID-19 vaccine in the immunization schedule and the vaccines for children or VFC program is an important step in the inclusion of COVID-19 vaccines in a routine vaccination program,” Reuters reports.
The recommendation will need to be approved by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., and the HHS. After that, it will be published in the CDC’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report.
Kevin Kavanagh, M.D., founder and president of the patient advocacy group Health Watch USA, told Fierce Healthcare that “this is a step in the right direction. Children can still get sick from this disease, and they commonly serve as a vector of transmission to both teachers and parents. In addition, this virus poses significant risks to children for long COVID, which we are just now starting to learn about.”
Vaccine take-up by children has been slow. A report by the American Academy of Pediatrics states that as of Oct. 12, here’s how many children have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine:
- Children 6 months to 4 years old (9%)
- Children 5-11 years old (38%)
- Children 12-17 years old (67%)
A Kaiser Family Foundation report states that many parents of children under 5 offer a variety of reasons they have not yet had their children inoculated against COVID-19.
“Concerns about the newness of the vaccine and not enough testing or research (19%) emerge as a top reason why parents do not plan to vaccinate their young children as soon as possible,” the report states. “Concerns over side effects (14%) and the overall safety of the vaccines (13%) are also prominent reasons given by parents as to why they do not plan on vaccinating their young child. Some parents (11%) say they do not think their child needs the vaccine or say they are not worried about COVID-19.”
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, M.D., tweeted last night that “Regardless of what the CDC votes on whether COVID-19 vaccines are added to routine child immunizations—nothing changes in Florida. Thanks to @GovRonDeSantis, COVID mandates are NOT allowed in FL, NOT pushed into schools, & I continue to recommend against them for healthy kids.”
The CDC website says that “state laws establish vaccination requirements for school children. These laws often apply not only to children attending public schools but also to those attending private schools and daycare facilities … There is no Federal requirement for informed consent relating to immunization. For state and local regulations, check with your local or state health department.”