The Urgency of Vaccinating Kids

In the midst of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout and national cases slowly increasing, the need for pediatric vaccine distribution is being called to light. Recently, Minnesota opened vaccine distribution to patients 16 and older. Additionally, many clinical trials are in the works to test the safety, effectiveness, and dosage requirements for pediatric patients less than 16 years of age, with hopes that younger pediatric populations will soon have their turn. With pediatric vaccination approaching, many questions arise regarding recommendations for who should get the vaccine and what information regarding the vaccine is reliable. To address these questions, The Atlantic interviewed Jill Foster, MD, Professor and Director of the Division of  Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota. In this article, Dr. Foster addresses how to get reliable information about the pediatric vaccination efforts, the possible risk children face with the newly circulating variants of the virus, and the implications of pediatric vaccination including herd immunity and what school will look like in Fall 2021. To read the full article and Dr. Foster’s response, follow this link.