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Jun. 22—The Indiana Department of Health announced Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccinations for children six months to five years old are currently available at some vaccination sites across the state.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were approved for that age group last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to an article published by Riley Children's Health, the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for children. Children may have similar side effects to the vaccines as adults, but children under 12 years old will receive smaller doses based on their age.
"Five to 11-year-olds who receive the Pfizer vaccine will receive one-third of the dose as the adult vaccine," the article stated. "Pfizer's vaccine for children ages six months to five years old is one-tenth the size and is given in three doses. Moderna's vaccine for children ages six months through five years old is one-fourth the size and is given in two doses. The lower doses are proven to produce a strong immune response in children while minimizing the side effects."
The article stated that while the effects of COVID-19 have not been as serious for many children as they have been for adults, vaccinating children will help protect people who are particularly vulnerable to the disease.
The article also stated that the two approved vaccines for children provide similar protection against COVID-19 as the vaccines approved for adults.
"Children are still able to get the virus and also transmit the virus to others," the article said. "Getting a vaccine helps protect those around you, including older people or those with chronic medical conditions who may be more likely to get a serious case of COVID-19 if they were to catch it."
An informational flyer created by the Indiana Department of Health and the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics also touted the Pfizer vaccine specifically as safe for children and said vaccinations are "an important tool to help us get back to normal."
The state's COVID-19 vaccination dashboard shows that 1,757,557 Hoosiers are fully vaccinated. According to a press release from the Indiana Department of Health, vaccinations are available at many local health departments, pharmacies, hospitals, and private healthcare offices.
The Indiana COVID-19 dashboard lists 224 vaccination sites for children six months to five years old, but none of the sites listed are located in Cass County. Neighboring Carroll and Howard counties currently have two and three vaccination sites respectively that serve young children.