LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Starting Wednesday, children as young as six months have the green light to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Southern Nevada.
The Southern Nevada Health District says three-dose Pfizer vaccine is available in multiple clinics across the valley starting Wednesday. The Pfizer vaccine is only authorized for children six months to four-years-old.
The two-dose Moderna vaccine will be made available for children six months to five-years-old at the SNHD clinic on 280 S. Decatur Blvd.
The CDC panel reviewed and unanimously supported the vaccines for the remaining age group after the FDA’s committee also voted on the recommendation.
“It is important parents do whatever they can to protect their children, and the vaccines are the best way to do that,” said Dr. Cort Lohff, chief medical officer at the Southern Nevada Health District.
Lohff says the side effects of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have proven to be mild and the dosage for kids five and younger is much smaller than the doses provided to older kids and adults.
The latest data from the Southern Nevada Health District shows 13,868 COVID-19 cases in children under the age of four and three deaths.
Nationally— Dr. Lohff says over two million kids under four have contracted COVID with more than 200,000 hospitalizations. He says close to 200 children under four have died from COVID-19.
Dr. Lohff says almost half of children in this age group hospitalized with the virus have no underlying diseases.
“So parents may think well, my child isn’t immunocompromised or doesn’t have severe underlying illness so therefore I’m not going to get them vaccinated, but the data suggests otherwise.”
Jennifer Reynolds, mom to a two-year-old and an 11-month-old, says she’s on the fence on the issue until she learns more.
“I’m really excited that it’s available for them, I think I’m going to wait until I have more information, but I’m definitely open to the idea of vaccinating my children,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds says her own experience with the vaccine will play a factor in her decision.
‘I went through the process, I understood the side effects, I know what to expect,” Reynolds added.
Yvonne Anderson, mom to a three-year-old, isn’t sure yet either.
“I’m not against it, but I think people need to do their own research. We travel quite a bit, so maybe it’s something we want to think about,” Anderson said.
You can find a list of SNHD clinics offering vaccines here.
