The new children’s vaccine sparks uncertainty in the community with doubts and concerns. The Pfizer vaccine was recently made available for kids ages 5 through 11, within the first week an estimated 900,000 kids will have had the vaccine according to an article from PBS. With kids being more prone to spreading viruses, it’s important to make sure that they are vaccinated to not only protect themselves but also those around them. 

Articles from PBS and the CDC stated that medical professionals consider the vaccine to be a crucial part of stifling the pandemic. Some parents agree that the CDC is reliable and should be administered while others remain wary. 

Eric Calland, a teacher at Westerville South said, “Stopping the spread of the disease and lessening the effects is and will save lives.” Some parents may believe it’s best to get the vaccine as soon as possible while others may want to wait or not get it at all.

Calland stated, “ My oldest children (9 and 7 years old) have already had their first shot.”  Calland said he isn’t worried about any long-term effects and trusts the research and doctors. 

The vaccine has been shown to result in the same effect it had in adults, with side effect symptoms being headaches, chills, and the initial pain and swelling after the injection. Some people have argued that since children have higher immune systems than adults, they should not bother with having kids get the vaccine. The simple answer is that kids can still get COVID and can spread it to other people. Although some kids can be asymptomatic, those with underlying medical conditions can be sent to the ICU. This new vaccine can allow for lesser symptoms and more protections for those more prone to medical conditions according to the CDC. 

The idea of making the vaccine mandatory does create a problem. “I don’t think we are in a great spot for the vaccine to become mandatory for school. Forcing someone to get the COVID vaccine will lead to more issues and pushback. People will need to be persuaded in a different way,” says Calland.

There are already controversies on and about the vaccine so it could be in everyone’s best interest to give the situation time and allow for others to approach it may be a bit differently.