By Mahlon Meyer
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Some people think it’s easy being a kid. Some people think childhood is a barrel of laughs. That might not always be the case in the age of COVID-19.
According to researchers, kids are just as susceptible to getting the new plague as adults, and while they may have milder symptoms, they can still die from it, or be impaired in one way or another.
Thus, vaccinating your child against this deadly respiratory infection is the only sensible way to protect them from suffering that may not end for years—if they catch long COVID or another serious complication from the virus.
“From 2020-2022, COVID-19 was among the top 10 causes of death in pediatric patients from 0-19 years of age,” Stella Huynh, a general pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles told the Asian Weekly in a series of emailed responses to questions.
That’s why getting your child vaccinated now is no laughing matter.
“Updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines can protect young children from severe illness, hospitalization, and even death from COVID-19,” according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
Why now?
Getting the new vaccine—even if your child has previously been infected or immunized—is essential: protection provided by a previous infection or vaccine wanes.
“Studies have shown that while COVID-19 vaccines remain effective, they are associated with a drop in protection over time,” according to the DOH.
How old do children have to be?
According to experts, the vaccines are not meant for babies under 6 months.
There is “insufficient data” about babies this young receiving the shots, said Huynh.
So the guidelines are that members of the family—or anyone who comes into contact with them—must be vaccinated and up to date on their vaccinations.
“Since infants under 6 months of age have developing immune systems and cannot receive vaccines to protect themselves against COVID-19, it is important for all household members to stay up to date with their immunizations,” said Huynh.
Still, it is not that babies this young are entirely without protection. They can inherit a certain level of protection from their mothers—so long as their mothers are vaccinated.
“Pregnant and lactating women vaccinated against COVID-19 can pass along antibodies through the placenta and breastmilk, which provides passive protection for newborns and infants.,” said Huynh.
What should parents know before taking their kids to be vaccinated?
For one thing, if your child has other illnesses, then he or she is at severe risk of potentially fatal complications if infected with COVID-19. But all children face this risk, said Huynh.
“While children with multiple comorbidities are at increased risk of severe disease, even children without preexisting medical conditions can also develop severe disease and long-term complications from COVID-19,” she said.
It is important to note that children can get their COVID-19 vaccines at the same time as their routine vaccines.
They do get a smaller dose than adults, and unlike adults, who may mix vaccines from different manufacturers, children under 5 years of age should get their series of shots all from the same manufacturer.
Side effects may happen, as with any vaccine, but in the overwhelming majority of cases, they are mild.
“Some children may have side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, while other children may have no side effects at all,” said Huynh. “The commonly reported side effects are mild and temporary, such as fever or pain at the injection site that resolves within a few days. Other side effects may include tiredness, body aches, irritability, and decreased appetite.”
In fact, side effects are proof that the vaccine is working. They show that the immune system is mustering a response—sort of a dress rehearsal for a future infection.
“More significant side effects are rare, and the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh the risks and potentially serious complications of COVID-19,” said Huynh.
Another reason to get children vaccinated—long COVID
Children who are not vaccinated often become seriously ill with COVID-19, which is a precursor to developing long COVID, meaning a host of symptoms that may not go away for years.
“Long COVID is observed more often in children with underlying medical conditions, in children who were not vaccinated against COVID-19, and in children who were critically ill after acquiring the infection (e.g., hospitalization, intensive care, or ventilation support),” said Huynh.
And what exactly is long COVID?
Huynh provides a list of some of the most common features.
“Tiredness that interferes with daily activities, symptoms that worsen with effort, headache, difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, muscle and joint pain, altered sense of smell or taste, chest discomfort, and cough,” she said.
And what parents need to know is that not only do these symptoms disrupt a child’s education, they make even daily living seem insurmountable.
“Long COVID can affect a child’s ability to focus on school activities and make it difficult to perform daily basic tasks,” she said.
Worst case scenarios?
Contrary to popular belief, children are, in fact, just as likely as adults to get COVID-19, said Huynh.
And while they may not get as sick, generally speaking, as adults, if they do get sick, the consequences can be devastating.
And kids with other illnesses are particularly at risk.
“Children with underlying medical conditions (such as chronic pulmonary disease, obesity, genetic conditions, neurologic and developmental conditions, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sickle cell disease) are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms compared to children without underlying medical conditions,” said Huynh.
Moreover, it’s not just long COVID kids have to worry about.
They have their own, particular, scourge that can result from an infection with COVID-19 that adults don’t get.
“Some children with COVID-19 may develop complications such as long COVID and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is an uncommon yet serious complication of COVID-19 in which multiple organ systems, including the heart, skin, lungs, kidneys, brain, eyes, liver, or gastrointestinal tract, develop severe inflammation,” said Huynh.
So without vaccinating your child, you’re pretty much playing Russian Roulette, holding two or three or more potentially catastrophic outcomes up against your child’s health.
If he or she escapeS long COVID, then there’s still MIS-C waiting—not to mention the worst possibility of death.
And remember, said Huynh, “Most cases of MIS-C occurred in children who were previously healthy.”
Vaccines are the answer
Vaccines work, said Huynh, but the protection they provide wears off over time. That’s why it’s so important to keep up with boosters—they also protect against new variants. As the virus spreads, it keeps changing and adapting so it can infect people in different ways. The vaccine manufacturers, therefore, have to keep adjusting the vaccines to keep up.
Still, different manufacturers have slightly different blends so that children should follow the specific instructions from each manufacturer.
“It is important to note that the number of doses and the time interval between vaccine doses varies between vaccine manufacturers,” said Huynh.
Moreover, if your child is immunocompromised, he or she may follow a different schedule of doses, she said.
“Parents of children who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are encouraged to speak to their healthcare providers to determine a personalized plan,” she said.
Finally, for children who’ve been infected, they should wait 3 months after the infection ruin before getting a vaccine.
Children who are immunocompromised, however, may need one sooner, said Huynh. Parents should talk to their child’s healthcare provider.
In Washington, the Childhood Vaccine Program provides free vaccinations for children under 19 years old. Learn more here!
Timing of doses (for children ages 6 months to 4 years old)
Pfizer
For children not previously vaccinated:
- First dose: use updated 2023-2024 vaccine
- Second dose: same updated vaccine should be given 3-8 weeks after first dose
- Third dose: same updated vaccine should be given at least 8 weeks after second dose
For children previously vaccinated:
- For children who have had one previous dose (of an earlier COVID-19 vaccine), the second dose should use the updated 2023-2024 vaccine and should be administered 3-8 weeks after the original dose.
- The third dose, using the updated vaccine, should be administered at least 8 weeks after the second dose
For children who have had two or more doses (of an earlier vaccine):
- The first dose of the updated vaccine should be given at least 8 weeks after the last dose of the earlier vaccine.
Moderna
For children not previously vaccinated:
- First dose: use updated 2023-2024 vaccine
- Second dose: same updated vaccine should be given 4-8 weeks after the first dose
- There is no third dose for Moderna.
For children previously vaccinated:
For children who have had one or two previous doses (of an earlier COVID-19 vaccine):
- In this case, you count only from when they had their last dose of the updated 2023-2024 vaccine.
In other both cases, they should receive a dose of the updated 2023-2024 vaccine 4-8 weeks after any last dose of the updated 2023-2024 vaccine
Novavax
Is unavailable for anyone under 12.
For a graphic guidance on the timing of vaccination for children, please visit this link.
Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Made possible in part by the Washington State Department of Health through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This information does not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Washington State Department of Health or the Department of Health and Human Services.