The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has officially recommended the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11. They also released an online tool to help parents find the nearest vaccination center in their area.
According to Cnet, children remain at low risk of the COVID-19 disease and death compared to the adult population. However, this is not a reason to get complacent. More than 1.9 million children had been infected, and approximately 172 died from the pandemic.
Note, however, that children have a different type of vaccine administered to them. A newly released online tool can help parents find and filter the correct vaccine for their children.
COVID-19 Vaccine Near Me: Vaccine Finder
To quickly search for the nearest vaccine center in the area that administer COVID-19 vaccine for kids, head over to this website. The online tool, powered by Vaccine Finder, lists out all the active clinics, doctor's office, pediatrician office and other publicly accessible places for the shot. The online tool also has a search radius and vaccine option filter.
These are the following steps how to use the Vaccine Finder:
- Enter the 5-digit Zip Code for the search area.
- Change the search radius to anywhere between 1 to 100 miles, depending on personal preference.
- Choose the vaccine option. There are currently four listings with age limitations: Pfizer-BioNTech (age 5-11), Pfizer-BioNTech (age 12+), Moderna (age 18+), and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (age 18+).
- Searchers can also toggle on or off the "have appointments available" option.
- Click on "Search for COVID-19 Vaccines."
Completing these instructions will list out all the vaccine center options available based on their distance. These search results will include the complete address for the clinics. Some might also have contact details to help setup an appointment.
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COVID-19 Vaccine For Kids: Pfizer
Notice how Pfizer is the only option for kids ages 5 to 11? The regular dose might be too strong for children, so their vaccine uses a slightly different formula. This new formula has been authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration last week after it presented its safety profile and high effectiveness of 90.7 percent. Up to date, the vaccine was tested on 3,100 children ages 5 to 11, with none of them showing severe side effects.
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, "we know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated, and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine," per Cnet. Keep in mind the Pfizer vaccine for kids will still be administered in two shots, three weeks apart.
For whoever is concerned, Cnet assured myocarditis and pericarditis are uncommon side effects linked to Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. It is mostly triggered in adolescent males and men under age 30, so the risk is taken into consideration with the children's vaccine.
With that in mind, parents are recommended to check out on the nearest vaccination centers in their area immediately. Knowing about the offices also gives parents a place to consult with pediatricians and health practitioners about the importance of getting their children vaccinated.
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