WASHINGTON — As Pfizer awaits FDA approval to administer its vaccine to children 12 to 15, Children’s National Hospital is getting a head start by allowing families in DC and Prince George's County to pre-register for the vaccine. The hospital launched the pre-registration site Tuesday and as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, more than 1,400 children signed up. Doctors expect approval in one week.
“We pediatricians have been waiting a long time for this,” said Children’s National Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Bud Wiedermann.
Wiedermann said the vaccine would be the same shot given to older Americans 16 and up.
“Nothing really changed with the vaccine. We just needed more information about this age group, to make sure it was as good in that age group as it as it was in the slightly older groups,” he said.
Children’s provided WUSA9 with pictures of the hospital’s vaccine clinic for young people ages 16 to 22. Dr. Wiedermann said only 13% of patients experience “systemic” side effects like temporary fatigue and flu-like symptoms; but he said the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risk of contracting the virus.
“It's not surprising that there would be hesitation, but I would just, strongly urge people to talk to their physicians, someone they trust, and sort of sort out the hype,” Wiedermann said. “It's a race to get enough people vaccinated before we have some frightening new variant.”
Medical experts describe children’s vaccines as game changers – especially when it means getting them back to school in-person, full time.
“These vaccines have far exceeded everyone's -- including my -- expectations for how good they would be and how effective they are," Wiedermann said, “So getting this in place down to 12 years of age totally makes the school issues so much easier.”
Children's National will also be holding research trials for the vaccine on children between 6 months old and 11 years old. The doctor said that would likely mean lower doses and researchers are working on that right now. He hopes to have the research trials at Children's by the end of May.