PHOTO | MUFID MANJUN

Twenty percent of Black children in North Carolina 12 years old and younger have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and its variants.

Black children in North Carolina are falling behind on their COVID vaccines.

According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 20% of Black kids in the state under the age of 12 who have received a COVID-19 dose, with 21% among white and Hispanic children, and Asian children at 52%.

“The misconception is many parents assume that COVID-19 is a mild disease in children and that is wrong,” said Dr. Alejandro Cane, medical director for North America for Pfizer vaccines.  “COVID-19 can cause severe illness in children and particularly children with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk to suffer severe illness, and even those that are completely healthy.”

COVID-19 can make children very sick according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2021, during the first few months of the Omicron variant surge, about 400 children aged 5-11 years old were hospitalized, with 90% unvaccinated according to the CDC.

About 20% of the children required intensive care, with 3 in 10 children not having any underlying health conditions.

The analysis found in winter 2021, Black youth across the United States accounted for the highest proportion of unvaccinated children at 34%, making up one third of hospitalizations among children in the age group.

Children with diabetes and obesity were more likely to experience severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines among children aged 5-11 years old. The Moderna booster shot is recommended to children and adolescents 6-17 years old, according to the CDC.

The updated booster, also called a bivalent vaccine, will protect against the original strain of the coronavirus and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5.
“We [saw] a waning in terms of protection when we were thinking of infection, a mild disease,” Cane said. “We were thinking on how we can improve the vaccine that we are offering to the people in order to have a better protection and longer duration of protection.”

People aged 5 and older can go back for their booster shot at least two months following their last COVID-19 dose.

With infectious diseases such as flu and RSV rising in children, more kids need to get vaccinated and receive the new Pfizer booster shot to prevent another outbreak in schools.

Cane added kids under the age of 12 who receive a booster shot will not experience any side effects from the inoculation.

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