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Parents weigh COVID-19 vaccine for youngest kids

The Santa Fe New Mexican - 6/22/2022

Jun. 22—Coronavirus vaccines for some of New Mexico's youngest residents began arriving in the state Monday, just a couple of days after the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved doses for children ages 6 months to 5 years.

Shipments will continue to come in all week, said Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health. Some vaccination appointments for young children already have been scheduled, she added.

Santa Fe parents and those visiting the city with their kids this week had mixed feelings about the shots. While many were eager to have their young ones inoculated against the virus, others remained wary or said they were outright opposed to child vaccinations for COVID-19.

Perla Granillo of Santa Fe said she works in a health care office and supports the coronavirus shots for her 4-year-old daughter, Mia Montez.

"My [6-year-old] niece got it, and she did fine with it," Granillo said. "I think it's good. ... They wouldn't put anything bad out for people to receive."

"I feel it's a pretty important piece in our struggle against corona," Chris Havlik of Fort Worth, Texas, said of the vaccine doses for infants, toddlers and preschool-age kids. Draped over his shoulder was 5-year-old John, who appeared to have had his fill of strolling and shopping in downtown Santa Fe.

John's older sister, 10-year-old Emilia, had enough enthusiasm for both of them. She gave a positive assessment of her own experience with the coronavirus vaccine.

"It didn't really hurt," she said.

Whitney Hargraves of Durango, Colo., sat on a bench on the Plaza with her trio of children, two of whom fall within the new group of vaccination candidates. But those kids, 2-year-old Eve and 4-year-old Lila, won't be getting shots anytime soon, their mother said.

"We are not going to vaccinate our children," Hargraves said, adding they have been vaccinated against other diseases. "Just not interested in this one."

"We had COVID and it really wasn't a big deal," she said. "I think it's up to parents."

The Kaiser Family Foundation last month published survey results that revealed big divisions among parents. Only about 1 in 5 said they wanted to have their youngest children vaccinated right away, and 1 in 4 said they would "definitely not" have their young children get the vaccination.

Close to 40 percent said they planned to wait and see how the rollout went with babies and toddlers, and more than half said they didn't have adequate information to offer a firm opinion.

Julie Knach of Baltimore had a child in sunglasses snuggled in her arm on the Plaza.

"I'm for vaccines," Knach said. "We go see the doctor in June."

Her 2-year-old daughter, Quinn, "does really well" with vaccinations, the mother said.

Mary Ann Hernandez of Pampa, Texas, said her 4-year-old daughter will get the vaccination "very soon."

"I'm all for it," Hernandez said.

The CDC said nearly

20 million additional children are now able to get the vaccinations. The agency recommended all of them, including those who have had the coronavirus, get vaccinated.

Pfizer and Moderna produced the vaccines that will be available. They will be given in much smaller doses to young children than to older kids and adults. Coronavirus vaccines have undergone the most intense safety monitoring in American history, the CDC said, and will continue to be studied.

The CDC said the vaccines will be available at thousands of pediatric practices, pharmacies, federal health centers, local health departments, clinics and other locations this week.

Sarah Smith of Las Cruces, a member of the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance, wrote in an email many parents are surprised the vaccines will be administered to such young children, "given the fact that this age group has such a very low risk from the COVID-19 illness."

The alliance has opposed coronavirus vaccination mandates and coronavirus-related lockdowns, among other things.

Smith said parents have expressed concern that problems in children could crop up long after the vaccinations are given.

Tanzi Brungard of Las Cruces said in a phone interview her youngest child, 1-year-old Iris, had the coronavirus and only experienced minor cold symptoms. "It's not a devastating thing with them," Brungard said. The vaccine is of greater concern to her.

"We just don't know how kids are going to react to it," she said.

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