By John Bradley, M.D.
The Food and Drug Administration authorized children as young as 6 months old to get the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines last month. For many parents, the decision meant a long wait was finally over.
COVID-19 has caused more than 2 million infections among children ages 6 months to 4 years old and is associated with 20,000 hospitalizations. As a pediatrician and grandparent to an energetic 2-year-old named Jack, I am personally grateful that we can safely vaccinate our youngest age group. I am sincerely thankful that I’m protected, my wife and children are protected, my school-aged grandkids are protected, and finally, Jack is protected, too.
John Bradley, M.D., is the medical director of infectious diseases at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and a Distinguished Professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine. He lives in Scripps Ranch.