This week on Health Matters, Tarah Schwartz and Dr. Bruce Mazer from the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force discuss Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant and vaccinating children under the age of 12.
(Time on podcast: 29:40). Bruce Mazer speaks to the new Omicron variant and why it is so important to be vaccinated against COVID. This new variant has many structural changes to the viral protein. Since this is a new variant, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. It appears that it does not yet cause more severe disease. We have to understand why viruses actually mutate. Their genes are naturally made to mutate so that they can infect their hosts in better and better ways. This COVID-19 virus is highly infectious but doesn’t kill that many people, which is why it can continue spreading in the population. Anyone who is considered at risk should take measures to protect themselves, including the elderly, those with co-morbidities and the unvaccinated. We also have to remember that long-COVID has a huge impact on many people’s lives.
The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccination in kids show that the vaccine works and children get a good immune response. In all the studies, there have been no major concerns. As of this date, over 4 million children received the vaccine in the US. No major adverse events have yet been reported. Misinformation can be very disruptive, but vaccination has to be seen as a benefit for children too. They want to return to normal life, resume playdates, socialize more and return to school. Vaccinating our children is one way to achieve this goal safely.
Listen to the podcast
A game changer for families. The MUHC Foundation’s Health Matters. December 5, 2021
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