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The road to herd immunity: local health departments stand by for authorization on Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 age group

"The health department will be able to vaccinate as soon as the federal government says it’s okay."

MILAN, Ill. — Thousands of adults have passed through the Camden Centre in Milan, Illinois over the last few months to receive their COVID-19 shots. Now, children ages 12 to 15 are on the cusp of also being able to stop through and get the Pfizer vaccine.

Janet Hill with the Rock Island County Health Department says they’ll start the vaccinations of that younger group as soon as they receive the green light from the federal government. “There’s no reason to hesitate. The health department will be able to vaccinate as soon as the federal government says it’s okay.”

Despite the confidence from Hill, some parents are more hesitant to vaccinate their children. Bjorn Bohley has a 15-year-old. He says for now, he’ll wait. “It’s a brand-new vaccine. We don’t know the side effects, the potential side effects, the health risks involved.”

He says instead he’d rather wait to see how the vaccine plays out over time saying, “Maybe down the road in a few years when we know a little bit more about the vaccine.”

Pfizer finished its phase three trials on 12 to 15-year-olds back in March. The results showed 100 percent efficacy on the age group.

Hill says this process, like the trials done on adults was not rushed either. “Researchers don’t just treat kids as little adults. They’re their own body systems and so I know they’re looking at it very closely.”

She also shares that the demand for the Pfizer vaccine is the highest right now because 16 and 17-year-olds are also eligible for that vaccine. “Kids want to get back to normal like the rest of us. They want to have prom, they want to have graduation, they want to have a soccer game without a mask on.”

It’s one more stepping stone on the road to herd immunity.

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