On this edition of “Closer Look,” Dr. Andi Shane, Emory University chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and medical director of infectious diseases at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, discusses the importance of widespread COVID-19 vaccination among young children.
As of Aug. 10 — about seven weeks following the U.S. approval of vaccination for children aged six months to four years old — only 6% of the group were vaccinated, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Shane attributes low vaccination numbers among young children in part to mixed messages from media and inflated perceived risk by the public.
Vaccination presents minimal adverse effects to its recipients and is extremely effective at preventing hospitalization in children for COVID-19 infection. Shane cited a “tremendous number of efforts” to promote vaccine availability, such as vaccine drives and back-to-school outreach, as valuable outreach efforts within the city.
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