18K PA Kids Given First Dose Of COVID Vaccine So Far

PENNSYLVANIA — Pennsylvania has administered 18,841 first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group, state officials said, just over a week after federal health regulators first granted approval and just six days into the availability of appointments.

While that's just a small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of children in that age group, it marks a significant step forward in the effort to immunize school-aged kids across Pennsylvania.

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As the vaccination rate slowly increases, the state moves closer to being able to lift the masking mandate for children in schools. Gov. Tom Wolf announced that the ability to require masks in schools would be shifted back from the state to local leaders on Jan. 17, 2022.

"Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus is now a part of our daily lives, but with the knowledge we’ve gained over the past 20 months and critical tools like the vaccine at our disposal, we must take the next step forward in our recovery," Gov. Wolf said. "With more than 70 percent of adults vaccinated in Pennsylvania and the recently expanded vaccine eligibility, I strongly encourage parents to take safety measures to protect your children and your family – like getting vaccinated."

Officials do remain concerned about the spread of pediatric cases, which soared to a rate of 11 times higher this fall than last fall. A total of 64,674 children 18 and under have become infected statewide since the school year began.

Meanwhile, more than 414,000 doses of the vaccine for children 5 to 11 have been distributed to providers across the state, and more is on the way.

The CDC strongly recommends that all children in that age group get the COVID vaccine. The federal health agency said it wants to see all of America's 28 million children in this age group get the shot. With a little more than 1 percent of children being vaccinated, there may be some hesitancy among parents who are concerned about the side effects of the vaccine on children.

The vaccine is a third of the dose of those given to residents ages 12-and-up. Similar to what was seen in adult vaccine trials, vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among children aged 5-11 years, the CDC announcement said. In clinical trials, vaccine side effects were mild, self-limiting, and similar to those seen in adults and with other vaccines recommended for children. The most common side effect was a sore arm.

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