Colorado prepares to administer thousands of COVID shots for kids under 5
Colorado #Colorado
Colorado children as young as 6 months can get their COVID-19 shots starting Wednesday, after both the Pfizer and Moderna doses were recommended by the CDC.
Why it matters: The coronavirus is one of the five leading causes of death in children in the U.S., according to CDC advisers.
State of play: Pfizer’s three-dose series was authorized for kids up to age 4, while Moderna’s two-dose regimen got approval for kids up to 5.
Of note: There are roughly 331,000 kids in Colorado under age 5, most of whom are eligible for vaccination, the latest U.S. Census records show.
Parents, here’s what to know:
What they’re saying: “I cried and laughed and frantically signed her up for the first appointment I can find,” Lies van Bekkum, a clinical psychologist and parent of two, told 9News.
Between the lines: The urgency that many Colorado parents experienced as they hoped to vaccinate their children in January — when doses were expected to be OK’d for little ones — has waned, Heather Roth, Colorado’s immunization branch chief, told the state board of health last week.
The bottom line: Vaccines remain “the safest, most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help avoid the worst outcomes for Coloradans of all ages,” Roth said in a statement.