COVID-19 Creates a Gap Between Vaccinated Parents and Their Kids

The CDC announced that fully vaccinated adults could diss their masks. While this sounds great, some parents are concerned about their unvaccinated children on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Masks are still required on buses, trains, and planes at stations and airports.

Children 12 and older can now have the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and after becoming fully vaccinated, they can discard their masks also. Since there are no vaccines for children between the ages of two and 12, these children will continue to wear masks in public places.

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, Chairperson of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, says wearing masks, washing their hands, and following all infection control guidelines have proven to be helpful in protecting children over the age of two from spreading COVID-19 infections.

Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are researching the safety and effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12 and as young as six months. Pfizer says they will wait a couple of months before discussing approval for a vaccine with the CDC.

Dr. Emily Landon, Associate Professor of Medicine Executive Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control at the University of Chicago Medicine, says as long as every family member is low-risk, it is alright not to wear the mask. She also cautioned parents to continue to be an example to their children, who must wear masks in public places, by adhering to the rules, stating that children seem to do what they see their parents do.

Landon also stated that data show most patients who are found to have the COVID-19 virus after being fully vaccinated have milder symptoms and do not seem to be transmitting it to others. If their children’s immune systems are compromised or feel they need extra protection, they should continue to protect their eyes and wear their masks around them and if they are inside places where there is a crowd.

Written by Brenda Robinson
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Sources:

NPR: What The New Mask Guidance Means For Unvaccinated Kids — And Their Parents; by Laurel Wamsley

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Inset Image Courtesy of Bennilover’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License