- With three kids under the age of 5, I've been worrying since the day the pandemic started.
- I live in an area with low vaccination rates for adults.
I'm a parent who comes from a family of scientists and healthcare professionals, and I myself am a university chemistry professor. As a concerned father with a 5-year-old, 3-year-old, and 1-year-old, the pandemic has been particularly difficult.
I have been saddled with worry not just for myself but also for the vulnerable members of my family and those we encounter often. Even with the massive vaccine rollout, there remain members of my family who are not yet eligible to be protected by the vaccine.
Combined with us living in Alabama, where only 45% of the population has been fully vaccinated, our worry is nearly continuous. Once the adults in the family were able to be vaccinated earlier this year, some of the stress dissipated, but my eldest son is going to kindergarten. Even with a mask, it's brought his mother and me a daily dose of concern and stress.
Even with social distancing, he was exposed to COVID-19 both at school during his physical-education class and during a swim lesson and had to be tested and isolated. Thankfully in both instances, the results came back negative.
As soon as the vaccine was approved, I was calling to get an appointment
As the CDC unanimously voted to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 on Tuesday afternoon, I was already making my calls to local pharmacies and our pediatrician's office to find the earliest appointment when I could get my son in for his first dose.
The best chance and earliest access was at CVS. In our area, there are only five locations that offer Pfizer. The pharmacist told me they had not received official guidance from the corporate office, but the quickest way to get an appointment would be to go on the app.
I immediately got on the CVS app and was able to secure a time for the following Monday afternoon with email confirmation. Sunday and the morning of Monday were already completely booked. The app also would not let me book a time or day if the corresponding day 21 days later for the second dose was not available.
We are on schedule with all other vaccines
In a household with an immunocompromised member, along with active relationships with both sets of grandparents, two of them cancer survivors, we aren't delaying vaccinations.
We are comfortable with the science behind these vaccines and are happy with the literature-backed efficacy results.
Though children seemingly have a lesser chance of serious effects from COVID-19, the long-term effects and unknown complications make getting our children vaccinated a priority.
Our entire family is faithful in getting the annual flu shot, and our children are up to date on all their childhood vaccines. Why wouldn't we get a vaccination against a virus that has caused a global pandemic, killed more than 5 million people worldwide and nearly 750,000 Americans?
Vaccines aren't new technology. We know they work, and we are thankful we have access.