Local parents react to possibility of COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages five to 11

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -  Kids under 12 could be eligible for the vaccine as soon as a month from now. Tuesday, Pfizer and BioNTech submitted vaccine data to the U.S. Food and Drug administration for initial review.

In El Paso County, covid cases in children make up 9.3 percent of the overall case numbers. If approved, the vaccine should bring those numbers down, but ultimately, it's a decision for each parent. 

Dr. Elisabeth Vanse, director of pediatrics for Peak Vista says this would be essential for kids.

"They are in school, they are around other kids and then come home to their family, so having a vaccine for them would mean fewer cases among that age group and also more protection for the family members who are at home," said Dr. Vanse.

According to the El Paso County Public Health Department, between June 30 to September 27 there was a total of 1,570 cases among children five to 11 years old.

"As a pediatrician and as a mom, luckily covid in younger kids is usually very mild, they don't tend to get that sick, although with the Delta variant circulating, kids have a more serious illness and more hospitalizations," said Dr. Vanse.

Though trials have begun for the possibility of getting children protected against the novel coronavirus, some parents remain on the fence about getting their children vaccinated.

"The vaccine should not be made mandatory, they should not be pushing it on us and definitely not on the children, they have no choice," said Mimi Douglas, a Colorado Springs Parent.

Another parent said the debate about whether to get the vaccine or not has him on edge.

"I am ok with it, I just don't want something that hasn't been tested properly," said Gary Hockett, a Colorado Springs parent.

Other parents believe the vaccine is the only possible solution right now.

"I just think as far as school goes for sure, if it is a safety hazard, the kids should wear masks and be vaccinated, just so the learning could continue to go," said Tania Dobbin.

Vanse agrees and urges parents to at least consider getting their children vaccinated.

"I think it is really important to know that we've had vaccines for a really long time and the science from vaccines have been used to make this vaccine so we don't have to start from scratch because we have decades of vaccine to build from," added Dr. Vanse.

The process now is for the vaccine to be considered for emergency use for kids, at first.