Around 18% US parents who have children below five years of age intend to get them immunized “right away”A new survey was released Wednesday showing that once the regulators have approved the use of Covid-19 shots in this age group, the results will be confirmed. The only group that is not yet eligible to receive vaccinations in the US are children under 5.
The survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a San Francisco-headquartered non-profit, in April.
Of the 27% who were surveyed, 27% stated that they would. “definitely not”11 percent said that they will get their child vaccined if it is legally required. A third of parents said that they would wait to see the effects of vaccines on children younger than five years old before making a final decision. Parents said that more than half still don’t know enough about vaccine safety and effectiveness for this age group.
“Lack of available information may be a factor in parents’ reluctance to get their youngest children vaccinated right away. A majority of parents of children under five say they don’t have enough information about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for children in this age group,”KFF pointed out, and added: “most parents of older children feel better informed, with three-quarters of parents of teens and two-thirds of parents of kids ages 5-11 saying they have enough information.”
This survey is coming as leading US vaccine manufacturers are closer to getting their shots approved for use in children. Moderna announced in April that it had approached the Food and Drug Administration to authorise its coronavirus vaccine (for children below six) and was the first company to do so. It is anticipated that the company will submit all data to regulators by May 9.
“I think for these little children, they really represent an unmet medical need,”Paul Burton, the chief medical officer at Moderna, spoke to ABC News last Wednesday. “I would be hopeful that the review will go on quickly and rigorously – but if it’s approvable, this will be made available to these little children as quickly as possible.”
Pfizer stated Tuesday that data from its three-dose, pediatric vaccine will be submitted to FDA and CDC by the end of May or early Juni. The company said it expects the regulators to consider the shot’s approval shortly afterwards.
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