ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WTNH) — Pediatricians’ offices in Connecticut are ordering their pediatric doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the state. This follows the recommendation from an FDA advisory committee.
“We’re collaborating with Connecticut’s Children’s to offer safe vaccine sites at Connecticut Children’s and at regional doctors offices. We’ll be ready to go as soon as we are able,” says pediatrician Jenny Schwab with Rocky Hill Pediatrics.
Dr. Schwab is on a Connecticut Children’s Medical Center board with 200 other pediatricians who are all working to facilitate pediatric COVID vaccinations.
Her office placed its order with the state for 1,500 pediatric doses. She says the kid’s doses will allow for 10 doses per vial, more than the six from an adult size vial. Also improved, how long it will last in the refrigerator, up to eight light weeks which is longer.
Rocky Hill Pediatrics sent out an email allowing parents to sign up and they’re getting a lot of responses.
“We’ve already had 170 patients sign up and we just started yesterday,” she says.
Once the pediatric doses are fully approved and shipped to their office they will start booking COVID vaccine clinic appointments and scheduling clinics.
For parents who ask why their kids should get vaccinated if that age group doesn’t typically get very ill from COVID, Dr. Schwab says children have already suffered tremendously from the pandemic.
“They need to be able to go to school and stay in school, they need to be able to hang out with their friends and vaccination is the quickest ticket to that. If they are fully vaccinated they won’t have to quarantine every time they’re exposed.”
Yale Medicine physician Richard Martinello reminds everyone that hundreds of kids here in Connecticut have been sick with COVID and a few have died, another reason for parents to get their children ages five through 11 vaccinated when it becomes available.