FDA CLEARS COVID BOOSTER SHOT FOR HEALTHY KIDS AGES 5 TO 11

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By Pennell Paugh

May 23, 2022 (San Diego) – On May 17, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a single booster shot for children ages 5 through 11 years old, at least five months after completion of a primary series with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Locally, Omicron variants have been making children sicker “with some requiring hospitalization and others developing multisystem inflammatory syndrome or MIS-C,” County News Center reports, adding that approximately 60-80% of the early cases of MIS-C patients required admission to hospital intensive care units.

Children who have not have not been fully vaccinated are more likely to have severe complications, according to the County. Contact your child’s doctor if your child has symptoms of “fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, skin rash, inflammation and multiorgan dysfunction,” County health officials advise.

Pending approval from the Western States committee, booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available in San Diego County for children ages 5 through 11, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced on May 19.

Vaccine supplies are still plentiful. To obtain a free vaccination or COVID booster, go to https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/vaccines.html.

 


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