ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. (WKBW) — Pfizer said it's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and 100% effective in children 12 to 15-years-old. News Dr. Lauren Kuwik of O'Connor Medical Group in Orchard Park said is a game changer.
"Just getting children vaccinated and adding to the vaccinated population is going to drop those risks of spread. This means that when you're getting your family together and all the adults are vaccinated you can add the 12 to 15-year-olds. It really decreases the amount of people in that family that have to wear masks and that have to worry about giving COVID to other people," Dr. Kuwik said.
She said she thinks the vaccine could be approved by the FDA for emergency use soon.
"I think this would be just an addendum to their actual application, so I think this could happen in the next couple weeks," Dr. Kuwik said.
While doctors say children rarely have bad outcomes from COVID-19, it's still important to get them vaccinated.
"COVID is not a benign disease just because you're younger than 50-years-old or 60-years-old, so anything we can do to blunt the spread of COVID in the general population, including the pediatric population, can reduce the risk of our children and our adults from catching the disease and catching the more severe consequences," Dr. Karl Yu, an assistant professor in the pediatric department at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Studies at University at Buffalo, said.
But for some moms, it's still too early to make the decision on if they'll get their children vaccinated.
"We have children that have medical issues and learning disabilities. I don't want to add insult to injury. I really don't trust it, but I am looking forward to gaining more education, more knowledge on the vaccine," Maribel Irizarry said.
Others said they will be first in line once their children are eligible.
"My 11-year-old ,who is vaccine phobic, I would absolutely get him vaccinated. Just knowing that you can protect your child... that's really important," Dr. Kuwik said.
