Here & Now

Implementing the First Pediatric COVID Vaccine

Frederica Freyberg:

More COVID-19 vaccine news this week. The CDC gave final approval for children ages 5 to 11 to get the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series. Health officials say nearly 500,000 children in that age group in Wisconsin are eligible and that the state’s first-week allotment is 175,000 doses. For more information on the new roll-out of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccines, we turn to Karen Timberlake, secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and thanks very much for being here.

Karen Timberlake:

You are very welcome.

Frederica Freyberg:

So with the first allotment of the vaccine for younger children arriving, we’ve already seen some pictures of children getting these shots, but is it widespread? When can most children who want it get it?

Karen Timberlake:

The good news is we’re being told there will be plenty of vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. It just is going to take a few weeks as we’ve gotten used to now with these vaccine roll-outs. A few weeks for all of the doses that Wisconsin will be eligible for to arrive in our state. So the best thing parents can do and guardians and caretakers when they’re looking for those first shots for their 5 to 11 year olds is start with your child’s regular pediatrician or primary care provider or check vaccines.gov, which is a great resource for all of the locations where vaccine is available across our state.

Frederica Freyberg:

This is the Pfizer vaccine, a series of two in smaller kind of mini doses? Is that right?

Karen Timberlake:

That’s correct. As the saying goes, children are not just little adults, and so there was careful research done, careful clinical trials were conducted to make sure that this vaccine is both safe and effective for kids ages 5 to 11. So it’s about one-third the dose that any of us who got the Pfizer vaccine as older kids or as adults got.

Frederica Freyberg:

Will there be some of these kind of community mass clinics set up across the state as there had been?

Karen Timberlake:

Yes. We have maintained a network of vaccination clinics across the state in partnership with our local and tribal health departments in partnership with one of our vendors, AMI, which is just doing a great job with the community clinics. We also know that a number of both public health but also health systems are partnering with schools just to make it that much more convenient for kids and their families to make sure they can access this important vaccine.

Frederica Freyberg:

All of that work and effort to make that available, but recent surveys show only about a third of parents definitely plan to vaccinate their younger children. What is your message to the other two-thirds who are maybe on the fence or even opposed to it?

Karen Timberlake:

So I think the place to start is certainly by having a conversation with your child’s health care provider. We understand that this is new and that parents and caretakers have questions. So please do connect with your child’s care provider and ask your questions. The other thing we would really emphasize is that the vaccines have been thoroughly tested. They really have been found to be safe and effective, following all the steps that the FDA and the CDC follow before they make any vaccine available. And it’s important for families to know that COVID has risks even for children. I know we think of it as being riskier for older people and that is certainly true, but kids can end up in the hospital, which is very scary for them and for their families, and perhaps almost as importantly, kids can also end up missing out on school and activities, all the things that I know I as a parent really want for my kids, that they be able to participate uninterrupted. And the vaccine is a great way to protect our kids, protect their families and protect our whole state.

Frederica Freyberg:

Because how will vaccinating this younger population help older people as we come into the holiday season and beyond?

Karen Timberlake:

Right. Think about the fact that as we like to say, kids live in families and families like to gather with each other, with friends, and we want to make sure that we just take every opportunity to vaccinate not just kids, but also those around them, particularly for both those younger children younger than five who still cannot be vaccinated and for the older relatives and the adults who may want to be getting together over the holiday season. There’s no reason that we can’t get everybody vaccinated and make sure that everyone can be as safe and healthy heading into the holidays as possible.

Frederica Freyberg:

How is Wisconsin doing on its overall vaccination rate even as Packer fans right now are crestfallen that Aaron Rodgers will be out at least a game after testing positive for COVID-19 after not being vaccinated?

Karen Timberlake:

The overall progress across our state is still really strong. I think if you look at our older adults, we have vaccinated more than 85% now of people 65 and older which is just remarkable. When you look at people 18 and up, so that working age population, we’re at about 69% have gotten at least one shot, almost 70%, so that’s really positive. Obviously we have a ways to go yet with kids 12-17 and now just starting with the 5 to 11 year olds. There’s still a ways to go, but we’re making really good progress.

Frederica Freyberg:

I notice you didn’t comment on Aaron Rodgers, but Karen Timberlake, thanks very much for your work.

Karen Timberlake:

You are very welcome.