Should children under 5 be vaccinated against COVID? Here’s my answer as a mom and doctor

In the early days of the COVID pandemic, many of us doctors felt helpless. Hospitals were filled with patients who were sick and dying of a novel, virulent pathogen. Doctors and scientists scrambled to understand how to treat it and prevent its transmission. We also worried about catching it, bringing it home and putting our families and children at risk.

As the pandemic unfolded and our knowledge evolved, it became evident that we needed a vaccine. Then the data on COVID vaccines for adults showed significant protection from hospitalization and death. I felt so relieved the day I first got vaccinated alongside my colleagues. Getting myself vaccinated was a no-brainer for me as a pediatrician trained in public health.

Vaccines are a cornerstone of pediatric practice, having protected generations of children from serious complications of infections like polio, tetanus, HPV, meningitis and influenza. As the availability of a pediatric COVID vaccine lagged, however, many parents like me felt anxious.

I wondered whether my own kids could play a role in helping make the vaccine available to children. After reviewing the scientific data, my husband and I felt the benefits outweighed the risks and, as a family, agreed to enroll our daughters in a vaccine trial for children ages 5 to 11.

The study was “blinded,” so I didn’t know that one of my daughters got the placebo and the other got the vaccine. Neither experienced side effects.

The study was rigorous: My girls endured long follow-up visits, blood draws and nose swabs. They were troopers.

Their efforts, and those of others like them, would go on to benefit other kids, families and communities.

Because their little brother was too young to get vaccinated, our family did what we could to keep him safe by getting ourselves vaccinated and boosted. The girls chose to wear masks at school even after it became optional.

Despite our efforts, my son got COVID during the recent omicron surge. Fortunately, after a few days of symptoms, he was back to playing with his toys and pestering his older sisters.

Although most children with COVID do fine, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that children ages 6 months to 4 years who get the virus have higher rates of emergency room visits and hospitalizations than older children. Even though young children rarely die of COVID, it is a leading cause of death among children under 5, surpassing rates from all other pediatric vaccine-preventable diseases.

Thanks to the recent authorization of the vaccine for children 6 months and older, pediatricians and parents no longer have to feel helpless to protect our youngest from COVID.

When parents ask me about vaccinating their children, I tell them that I wouldn’t recommend something that I wouldn’t consider for my own child. Even though my son recently had COVID, I plan on vaccinating him. In addition to protecting my family’s health, vaccines allow us to partake in summer travel, play dates and family gatherings with increased peace of mind.

The last 2 1/2 years have taken a tremendous toll on our youth. For many of my patients and their families, this has included disrupted schooling and parent work schedules; canceled activities and celebrations; tragic family losses; social isolation; and increased rates of depression and anxiety.

COVID has not gone away. but vaccination can enable children and their families to safely ease back into the experiences and activities they need to thrive.

If you have questions about vaccinating your child against COVID, please talk to your child’s health care provider. Many of us are parents, too. We are your partners in keeping your children healthy and happy.

This story was originally published July 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM.