Update on COVID Vaccines for Kids

In a “dose” of good news, Adi was notified this morning that Natalia got all 3 shots of the actual Pfizer dose, not the placebo, so we feel very grateful and lucky!

I’m not going to write a long article about this, given how crazy my life is right now (while Adi isolates, I do my best with Natalia and my healing back, and my mom hobbles around their home…oh and we were told that yes, she might have actually fractured her foot after all – REALLY??). But let me say a few quick thoughts for anyone who’s interested, and if you’re not, this is a good place to stop reading:

-I will be giving a Q&A next Monday evening on Zoom privately to Natalia’s school, Intiwasi. They are allowing some others to join if personally vouched for by me. So if you are a friend of mine and would LIKE to attend the short presentation followed by Q&A Monday the 27th at 8pm, please message me. Again, only for those who I know and trust, as this is a private session I’m doing for parents and teachers of my daughter’s school.

-Yes I recommend vaccinating all eligible ages, which AT LONG LAST means age 6 months and up.

-The Pfizer dosage is tiny. Adults have been getting 30mcg. Kids 5-11 have been getting 10mcg. And now age 6 months-4 years old will get just 3mcg. It’s tiny, and yes I recommend it.

-I recommend it regardless of if and when you’ve had COVID.

-In addition to the FDA and the CDC, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) also recommends vaccines and boosters for all eligible ages.

-As we’ve seen with adults and all age groups, 3 shots are crucial. The CDC and governing bodies have continued to do a truly piss-poor job with so much of their messaging, and it’s really important that everyone at every age understand that the 3rd shot is just as important as the first two. They need to stop calling it a booster, because it’s not just boosting your body like an annual flu shot, it actually continues to help mature and develop your antibodies, continuing the process of what the first 2 shots did. Just as HPV and Hepatitis are 3 shot series, we know that if you are being intellectually honest, the Pfizer and Moderna shots are too. And yes, any further shots can be thought of as boosters, that’s fine.

-It’s somewhat shameful that we are still using the original strain for these vaccines, considering how mutated it has become. This is why we actually need the third dose to try to reduce the severity of the virus, even when it will usually not prevent the infection. (Starting this Fall I hope and expect that we will simply get UPDATED boosters once a year along with our flu shots. Easy.)

-As a result of the importance of all 3 shots, I recommend Pfizer for the latest 6 months- 4 year age group, because it’s actually a 3 shot series, as it should be. Moderna has a higher dose, which is generally GREAT, and that’s why I prefer it for adults; and eventually they will also get approval for a 3rd shot, and I’ll probably prefer it at that point in time. But as long as Moderna is only available and approved for the first 2 shots, I would recommend the full 3 shot series with Pfizer, (even though they’ll get a lower dose), so that you can know your child was given the full maturation of the antibodies as intended.

–To be clear, if you get Moderna I think that’s still a WONDERFUL option; in fact you’ll have the advantage of some protection and immune response after each stronger dose, which you do not get with Pfizer until after the third and final dose. I simply encourage you to think of your child as still needing one more shot. My fear is the false sense of security at being called “fully vaccinated”, when I’m confident the third shot is necessary to mature the antibodies for variant protection.

-Pfizer will be a 13 week course to being fully vaccinated. First shot, then second shot 4 weeks later, then third shot 8 weeks after that, and then 2 weeks after final shot you’re considered fully vaccinated. Again, I’m aware Moderna will be tempting as it’s a shorter process, but I really need them to finish testing and approve a third shot before I can recommend them OVER the Pfizer.

-The easiest ways to schedule an appointment seem to be either using the link https://myturn.ca.gov/ or calling Kaiser to schedule one there. And you can certainly call your pediatrician to ask any questions, and see if they will have it in stock.

-Let me make something clear. I know plenty don’t plan to vaccinate their kids, and that this can be a point of contention. I’m not trying to force anything, or argue with anyone; I’m merely trying to be a resource for those who understand that I am unpaid and have tried to give unbiased, informed information throughout the pandemic. My usual sources of infectious disease experts and pediatricians I talk to continue to recommend this, and so do I. I’m sure there will be memes and graphs and articles that come out against this, and I ask that you not send them my way, I only have so much bandwidth, and you are welcome to make your own different choices in life – we each do, every day. And I ask that everyone be respectful and kind to each other, regardless of the choices we each make. I have zero tolerance for people yelling at each other over personal, legal life decisions.

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