Here is the COVID vaccine for young children. What parents need to know.

Now, the federal health authorities are on the path to aCOVID-19 vaccine for 6-month-oldchildren. Opened up. Currently, doctors across the country are giving the first injections to infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

More providers are preparing to receive the first delivery of children's vaccines from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, as well as Moderna, over the next few weeks.

Here's what parents need to know about the new low-dose vaccines for young children currently on the market: 

Can you find a shot for my kid here? 

In planning the deployment, the Biden administration expects most children between the ages of 6 months and 5 to be shot through a regular pediatrician or family doctor. say. COVID-19 immunitycan be givenalong with otherregular vaccinesthat the doctor has already given to the child. 

"Parents are advised to contact their pediatrician or family doctor directly to learn more about plans to offer appointments," officials said earlier this month.

But not all pediatrician clinics are looking for shots. Authorities also admit that not all children in this age group have doctors to rely on. 

Given that doctors may only have one of the two vaccines, parents who go to buy a particular brand may be out of luck with regular doctors. Hmm.

For these parents, the Biden administration'svaccine. More sites are being added to the gov website. This allows users to search for local providers and filter between them. A shot of Pfizer or Moderna. 

About half of doctors vaccinated in childhood plan to provide shots to children who are not regular patients doing. CDCSurveywas found. Many community health departments and community health centers are also planning to provide shots for young children.

In Minnesota, health officialshave announced tothat Pfizer shots will be available at the Mall of America Vaccination Clinic in the state for these ages. In New York City, authoritieswill provide young children with shots ofModerna at "hubs" around the city.

About one-fifth of the 10 million shots available for the first wave of child vaccination were assigned to pharmacies. Walgreens,CVS, andWalmartare one of the national chain drugstores that say they are currently accepting reservations for younger children. is. 

Pharmacists are only allowedto give shots to children over the age of 3. However, according to CVS, at the 1,100 Minute Clinic location, clinicians will be able to administer Pfizer Shots to children up to 18 months of age.

What is the difference between Pfizer and Moderna?

Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech doses are available in a variety of sizes and schedules for young children, as the CDC recommends. 

To be fully vaccinated with Moderna, children aged 6 months to 5 years must be vaccinated twice at 4-8 week intervals. Moderna has a dose of 25 micrograms and is part of the 100 microgram primary series launched for adults last year. 

To be fully vaccinated with Pfizer, children aged 6 months to 4 years must be vaccinated a total of 3 times. These have an interval of 3-8 weeks between the first two doses and an additional 8 weeks until the third dose. Pfizer's shots are 3 micrograms in size, just one-tenth the size of 30 microgram shots over the age of 12.

That timing may be sufficient for parents who decide to immunize their children between brands before returning to school in the fall.

"If you want to return your child to day care or lower grades in September, you will need to get the Moderna vaccine. It cannot be given according to Pfizer's schedule, and it turns out that two doses cannot prevent it. From Pfizer. " Moderna CEO Stephane Bancelsaid at the Jeffreys Healthcare Conference last week.

However, Pfizer sought to emphasize thatappears to provide some protection against the virus, even if the two doses of the vaccine fall below the FDA's original benchmarks. The two companies are also planning to study additional doses for infants, which may be indicated for the Omicron variant.

"Two doses can have potential benefits, but the goal here is to achieve a high level of efficacy and get the children to be vaccinated as soon as possible. That's what Pfizer's William Gruber told the CDC's external advisor on Friday. 

In abriefing with Friday's reporter, FDA's chief vaccine authority, Dr. Peter Markes, acknowledged "subtle benefits and risks compared to each other." The first shot available to them that encouraged their parents to explore.

"The Moderna vaccine can provide a slightly faster immune response, while a triple dose of Pfizer regimen can also enhance the immune response after the third dose. How many subtle differences? There is a safety profile. "

Why is the COVID vaccine recommended for such infants? Both the

FDAandCDCexternal vaccine advisors panels unanimously voted last week to make shots available to 6-month-old children. Did. 

Younger children are generally at lower risk of severe COVID-19 compared to older classmates and adults, and many asymptomatic cases may not have been reported. I have. However, CDC officialstold Commissionthat the disease continuedand inflicted serious casualties on infants. .. 

Many children were hospitalizedand more than 200 children of this age group died. Includes children without underlying illness. The effects of this illness far outweigh the other illnessesthat Americans currently vaccinate their children on a regular basis.

"Well, there is a lot of information out there saying'I had an Omicron variant, or my child had an Omicron variant, and vaccination is not important.'" Marks said on Friday. 

Data presented to the CDC advisershows that nearly three-quarters of children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years are infected before. It suggests that they have antibodies from survivingbut they may still be vulnerable to catching it again. 

"There are new data suggesting that Omicron mutants do not produce a kind of superior immune response against the widespread COVID-19 mutants that vaccination does." He added.

Do infants need boosters? Can they get updated boosters for new variants?

Before the fall booster season of all ages is expected, as the FDA prepares to consider revising the COVID-19 vaccine for the Omicron variantlater this month. , The shot is coming.

"If you find that there is a very large change in the strain that needs to occur in the fall, adjust it and make sure there are options available for the youngest child and the entire pediatrics. We will do the age group as needed. "

Moderna plans to begin testing boosters for the Omicron variant in children under the age of 6 starting this week. Boosters are given at least 3 months after the second dose. 

"We hope to be able to submit booster immunogenicity and safety data for this age group by early fall," said Dr. Moderna. Rituparna Das told the CDC committee on Friday.

Pfizer and BioNTech are still discussing plans with the FDA to test updated versions of their children's shots. 147} One-third of new infections

"I think we need to be notified by a decision made this month, so frankly, don't stand up to anything honestly. It will not be a vaccine in the future. " Pfizer's William Gruber told the CDC panel.

So far, Marks said there is no reason for her parents to withhold the updated shot.

"With the availability of a primary series to provide excellent basal immunity to a wide range of COVID-19 mutants, it is highly recommended that children start this now. I will do it, "Marks said.