With FDA approval of a Pfizer COVID-19 shot for adolescents expected in days, parents will soon have to decide whether to vaccinate their kids
“I truly believe the vaccine is safe and effective,” said Jen Spengler of San Marcos.
For Spengler, 51, it’s possible her 12-year-old daughter has already been vaccinated.
In December, Evie Spengler volunteered to be part of the Pfizer trials for adolescents.
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“It could help end the pandemic quicker and help us get back to normal,” Evie Spengler said.
For now, the Spengler family doesn’t know if Evie was given the actual vaccine or a placebo. But since she had mild side-effects, her mother feels it’s likely she got the vaccine.
“I know I felt much better allowing her to play soccer or allowing her to ride her bike in the neighborhood where I know it’s a pack of kids, and not being so worried that A), could she get sick? Or B) Could she share the virus with someone not knowing if she had it or not?” said Jen, who is a writer for Sharp Health News.
But how will other parents react, and how quick will they be to get their children vaccinated?
“If it’s going to save [people's lives] and be a positive thing, why wouldn’t you do it?” wondered Traci Visselli of Escondido.
“I think with children not as cautious with safeguards all the time, and maybe not realizing they could be affected, I would totally have it for both my teenage boys, for sure,' said Visselli.
Pete Coulter said he was excited and ready to put his kids in the car and get them vaccinated as soon as the shot is approved.
“I think it’s the logical thing to do," Coulter said. "I believe in science, and I believe it’s the right thing to do."
But some parents who are willing to get their kids vaccinated are concerned that others might not be.
Consider: 30% of adults in the U.S. still are hesitant to get vaccinated. It remains to be seen how they’ll handle their children.
“It’s probably reasonable for people to be cautious," Coulter said. "The thing that I worry about is, there’s a lot of misinformation these days, and I worry about that being the basis for a poor decision."
“I would say: Do your due diligence, read everything you can, talk to your pediatrician, talk to people you know who’ve gotten the vaccine," Jen Spengler said. “I feel like, once you really hear the true facts about the vaccine, I think you’ll feel comfortable with it, and I think you’ll recognize how much more the world can open up once your kids are vaccinated and once more kids are vaccinated.”
