This week, approval should have been secured to begin vaccinating children under the age of 5 for COVID-19. Both Pfizer and Moderna had products that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were to review.
Pfizer’s shots are one-tenth of the adult dose and will be given as a three-shot series with three weeks separating the first two doses and a third dose at least two months later. It is 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. Moderna is a two-shot series, with shots four weeks apart, and each dose is one-quarter of the adult dose. It’s effectiveness is 40% to 50% for prevention of mild symptoms.
With the vast array of immunizations already required, the youngest population seems almost like a pin cushion. However, it has been found that this population has proven to be more likely than older children to be hospitalized or die, thus the importance of providing this protection to this group. Vaccines should begin rolling out next week. Pharmacies are not allowed to vaccinate children under 3 years old, so the number of providers will be smaller than usual.
Monkeypox has been in the news lately. And finally I feel like I am ahead of the game personally.
It appears that people who received the smallpox vaccination have immunity to this latest virus. Because they discontinued smallpox vaccinations in 1972 for the general population, most of the younger crowd are unvaccinated. Being a military brat and then being in the military meant I was vaccinated four times. During the anthrax scare of the 1990s a national plan was devised to get some people vaccinated against smallpox in case it was released into society. The only takers in Robeson County were three of us from the Health Department — yes, number five for me — and I am the only one still working.
Monkeypox is found throughout the world, including in the United States. There is a specific vaccination against it but since the smallpox vaccination is 85% effective, I will stay as I am. It is spread through close contact with an infected person or the clothing of an infected person. Symptoms are fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fatigue and body aches — not exactly tell-tale symptoms. The incubation period is from seven to 14 days. Most people recover without treatment and no one has died. The most infectious period is when the person has a rash.
There have been only 30 cases nationally. For that reason there are other viruses far more concerning at this moment.
Bill Smith is the director of the Robeson County Health Department.