M e d i c a l R e c o r d F e at u r e
What to Know About the COVID-19 Virus and Vaccinations in Pennsylvania Children
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by Rachel Hahn, MPH, Berks Immunization Coalition, Immunization Coalition Coordinator, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
an children be infected with COVID-19 at the same rate as adults? What are the side effects of COVID-19 infection in children? Can they suffer from long-term COVID? Is the COVID-19 vaccine needed? These questions, along with many others, have been racing in parents’ minds since the start of the pandemic in 2020. With the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines having recently received Emergency Use Authorization from the CDC now for children 6 months to 4 years of age as well older children and adolescents, the side effects of COVID 19 and these vaccines is a topic that deserves to be addressed and clarified for parents in Berks County. Circulating unscientific reports give the impression that the side effects of the vaccination are worse than the effects of being infected with the actual virus. These reports are often propagated through avenues such as social media. For example, a common misconception is that myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, is a likely side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine when in reality, it is more likely to develop from a COVID-19 infection. According to CDC data updated on May 4, 2022, the overall risk of heart conditions after a COVID-19 infection is higher than after the first
shot. Taking all ages, genders, and both vaccine doses into account, the risk of a heart issue after a COVID-19 infection was anywhere from 1.8-5.6 times higher when compared to vaccination.1 In the U.S., children under age 18 are contracting COVID-19 at the same rate as adults. As of May 26, 2022, over 13 million children have tested positive for COVID-19.2 The symptoms of the COVID-19 virus are similar in both adults and children, as is the risk of developing long-term effects from the infection. While the symptoms of the disease in children are mild in most cases, the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine can be even milder and are shorter in duration. The side effects that occur from the COVID vaccination are no different from the side effects that amount (substitute arise for amount) from any other routine childhood immunization. These side effects can include a sore arm at the injection site, mild fever, headache, chills, nausea, and tiredness, and all typically subside 24-48 hours after receiving the vaccine. Children can also receive the COVID-19 vaccine simultaneously as their other routine immunizations, like the influenza vaccine. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, there has been a decline in routine childhood and adolescent immunizations. According to recent Pennsylvania data, more than three-quarters of providers continued on next page >
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