The flu shot and vaccine event comes a day after the FDA approved the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.
SAN DIEGO — On Saturday, Kaiser Permanente helped run their “Spooky Saturday” event where kids of all ages could get a flu shot or other pediatric vaccine.
Both children and adults wore their Halloween costumes and received a special Christmas present.
“This year, more than ever, it’s essential to protect yourself, your family and your friends by getting vaccinated,” said Rita Feghali, chief of pediatrics for Kaiser Permanente San Diego. “When we get our annual flu shot, we significantly lower our risk of getting the flu, getting flu-related complications, visits to doctors, and missed school or work days due to illness.”
While Saturday’s event did not include any COVID-19 vaccines, it came a day after the FDA approved the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.
The FDA has approved pediatric doses — just one-third the amount given to teens and adults — for emergency use, and by next week, up to 28 million more U.S. children may be eligible for vaccinations.
One more regulatory hurdle remains: On Tuesday, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make more detailed recommendations about which young people should be vaccinated, with a final decision from the agency’s director expected shortly after.
“Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting FDA commissioner, in a statement. “Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness data should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards.”
Although children are at a lower risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 than older people, 5- to 11-year-olds are still severely affected — including more than 8,300 hospitalizations, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the FDA.
WATCH RELATED: FDA Approves Emergency Use for Pfizer COVID Vaccine in Children Ages 5 to 11
Comments are closed.