Spokane’s mom hopes the vaccine will soon be approved for younger children

September 20, 2021 9:09 PM

Posted on September 20, 2021 9:09 PM

Updated: September 20, 2021 11:12 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. – Children in the Spokane area are hit hard by COVID-19.

At the weekend, 17 percent of the cases involved children under nine years of age. Currently, Pfizer is only approved for use in children 12 years and older, but that may change soon.

A Spokane mom says the vaccine means extra protection and less anxiety.

Sara Mitchell has an 11 year old son and an 8 year old daughter. She says she thought about not sending them to public school this year because she didn’t want them to get sick.

“I talked to them about how scared they would be at school and he said, ‘I want the vaccine when I can have it.’ So I thought, ‘Okay, you can have it.’ “

Mitchell says she understands why some people hesitate about the vaccine because she used to be one of them.

“But as I said, I trust science.”

Pfizer says in its study smaller children were given a third of the normal dose. The company says the antibody levels in it were just as high as they were in teenagers and young adults.

However, nothing can happen until the FDA gives Pfizer the green light. Mitchell says she is concerned when she thinks about a rejection from our health authorities. It could mean that her daughter cannot be vaccinated for another four years.

“I don’t want my children to get sick and go to the hospital, and I don’t want other people’s children to get sick and go to the hospital.”

Pfizer plans to submit its report by the end of the month. Then the FDA says it can get approval in a few weeks.

“I want them to have the extra protection, so I’m for it. I am ready to have you vaccinated. “

All parents and children can do now is wait.

Pfizer says it will continue to gather information to apply for full FDA for this age group. It also expects study data for children as young as six months as early as the fourth quarter of the year.

Sara Mitchell is fully vaccinated. Her 11-year-old son told her that he would like to get the COVID vaccine when he is old enough. Pfizer plans to submit a report on its vaccine study in children ages 5-11. The FDA could approve its use in an emergency. @ kxly4news pic.twitter.com/DcLflvNZ1b

– Kaitlin Knapp (@ Kaitlin_Knapp1) September 21, 2021

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