Dayton Children’s Hospital held a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for young children ages six months to four years old on Wednesday morning. The historic clinic comes just a few days after the FDA granted emergency-use authorization for the vaccine down to 6 months of age.
Dayton Children’s is offering the Pfizer vaccine in a three microgram dose series for this population. A microgram dose is one tenth of an adult dose, and these patients will receive the first two doses three weeks apart and the third dose at least two months later.
Dr. Adam Mezoff, chief medical officer and vice president of Dayton Children’s Hospital, said today is a huge step in the fight against COVID-19.
“This authorization is important because it gives protection to an age group that was one of the least protected,” he said. “Up until this time in the pandemic, the best we could do is vaccinate all the adults around small children.”
Mezoff said he understands why it can be difficult for parents to make the decision to vaccinate their children. He said the vaccines have been sufficiently tested and that research shows they are safe and effective.
Kristen Bowser brought her three year old daughter to the clinic to be vaccinated. Her four older children have been vaccinated–one of them even participated in clinical trials.
“The quicker we can get the entire country vaccinated, the quicker we can get back to normal,” Bowser said.
Appointments are available at the Dayton Children’s Connor Child Health Pavilion and the Kids Express locations in Springboro, Beavercreek, Mason, and West Chester.
To schedule, visit www.childrensdayton.org/covidvaccine
