The wait for parents who want to vaccinate their babies against COVID-19 is over.
The Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) announced on Thursday that it is ready to start providing COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 months to four years on Friday.
“In Macomb County, as in the past, when new eligible populations were approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the health department responded by providing the vaccine to those individuals as soon as possible,” said Andrew Cox, director and MCHD health officer.
“It won’t be any different,” added Cox, who took over as director after Bill Ridella retired.
The walks will be welcome, but the meetings are highly encouraged.
“We plan to have appointments for these new kids available on our online schedule,” Cox said, noting that Macomb County will receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine at this time.
Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were approved and recommended by the CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this month, and many states have already begun administering the vaccines to babies.
A parent in South Carolina began looking for a date for their young child as soon as US regulators approved the vaccines.
“He has never played with another child inside before,” Mackenzie Pack said of his 3-year-old son, who is looking forward to playing bowling with other children and visiting a nearby children’s museum after being fully vaccinated.
“It’s just a relief,” Pack said. “With this vaccine, this will be his best chance to return to normal and have a normal childhood.”
The FDA gave the green light to both modern and Pfizer children’s photos last Friday, followed by the CDC on June 18. In the United States, COVID-19 vaccines were first tested and given in late 2020 to healthcare professionals and the elderly. Teenagers and other children were added to the school last year.
Approximately 18 million young people under the age of 5 are eligible for the latest round of vaccines.
Dr. Debra Langlois, a pediatrician at CS Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, echoed Puck’s sentiment about approving the children’s photos.
“It’s just a huge step towards normalcy,” Langlois said. “We have been in this pandemic for more than two years and there are things my 4-year-old has never been able to do.”
This includes the family skipping a trip to Disneyland and a ferry ride to Makinak Island, which is another popular family destination in Michigan, because it would mean mixing with unmasked passengers.
While Langlois welcomes the moment based on vaccination levels among school-age children, which are around 30%, it is likely that attracting some parents on board could be a challenge.
Two little girls show off their wax dressings. Macomb and St. Clair County Health Offices have the Pfizer vaccine for children under 5 years of age. Granger / The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate via AP
Dr. Pam Zeitlin, director of pediatric medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver, recommends that parents vaccinate their children as soon as possible.
“Some parents fear that the younger the child, the more vulnerable it is to the side effects of the vaccine,” said Seitlin, but this was not found by studies by Pfizer and Moderna. The side effects are similar to those seen with other childhood vaccines: fever, irritability and fatigue. To see the visit to the FDA report,
Cox said MCH will provide the vaccine in several places, including:
• Clinton Township, Verkuilen Building at 21885 Dunham Road
• Warren, Southwest Health Center at 27690 Van Dyke Avenue
All children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Appointments can be scheduled online at macombgov.org/healthappointment soon. While not in full swing, parents or guardians can schedule an appointment for eligible children by calling 586-463-3750.
St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) will also provide COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 months to 4 years, by appointment only. The Pfizer vaccine will also be available there.
To schedule an appointment in St. Clair County, visit the online schedule at stclaircounty.org’s health department or call 810-987-5300.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association were among the groups of physicians who encouraged physicians and families to vaccinate young children. The CDC also recommends it for those who have already had COVID-19 to prevent re-infection.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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