COVID & Flu Vaccines at GetzWell
Bubbah the Bunny getting his COVID-19 vaccination at GetzWell.COVID Shots
For parents and caregivers wanting to vaccinate their youngest children, GetzWell now has Moderna COVID vaccines for children 6 months to 5 years. This vaccine follows a two-injection schedule, 4-8 weeks apart, and it is ¼ the strength of the adult dose (or 25 mcg per dose).
We also have the Moderna bivalent booster (for those 18 years and older) and the Pfizer bivalent booster (for those 12 years and older) should any of our teens or parents want to get their boosters at GetzWell. Please contact us to schedule your appointment(s).
~ During the Omicron surge last winter, children under 5 years of age were hospitalized at a rate 5X greater than when Delta was the dominant strain.
~ Hospitalizations, critical illness, and deaths are all more common among kids and teens who are not vaccinated compared to kids who have received two COVID shots.
~ About half of the children hospitalized last winter were “otherwise healthy” with no underlying medical conditions.
~ Additionally, COVID vaccinated children had fewer COVID infections during the study period and the rate of infection was reduced by 37-80% for those who were fully vaccinated compared to unvaccinated controls.
~ Even if your child has had COVID this year but isn’t yet vaccinated, recent scientific evidence shows that 32% of unimmunized children failed to make antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after confirmed infection and had mediocre T-cell responses. The quality of immune response (i.e., memory B-cells and T-cells) appears to be tied to the severity of infection. Many children have mild infections which means a lower viral dose and secondary protection is less likely.
Flu Vaccines
As a reminder, we have begun vaccinating kids in preparation for the 2022-2023 seasonal flu. We also invite parents and nannies to get vaccinated in our offices (on a first come first serve basis). This flu season is predicted to be more severe than the prior two years since Australia, a bellwether for us, saw their influenza activity peak early and produce an intense wave of infections. Contact us soon to schedule your flu shot appointments if you haven’t already.
