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MEDIA RELEASE? I? June 21, 2022

*Media Contact:*

Brooke Elenbaas, Communications Specialist??
[email protected] <[email protected]>?| (616) 610-7117

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*Ottawa County Department of Public Health Announces?Distribution of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines for Children?**Under?the Age of Five*

"*(HOLLAND, MI.)*" ??The Ottawa County Department of Public Health (OCDPH) is announcing today that it will begin providing the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of five on June 22, 2022.

On June 14 and 15, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [ [link removed] ] advisors recommended expanding the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to children under the age of five. On June 18, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [ [link removed] ] issued their endorsement of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices? (ACIP) recommendation to make the vaccines available. The authorizations will add children ages six months through five years to those eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine and expand the eligibility for those eligible to receive the Moderna vaccine.

Both vaccines were shown to be effective at reducing severe illness, hospitalization and death, and were also shown to be safe, with minimal to moderate short-term side effects experienced by children in the clinical trials[ [ #_ftn1 ]1 [ [link removed] ]] [ #_ftn1 ]. The COVID-19 vaccines have undergone ? and will continue to undergo ? the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

The Moderna vaccine will be provided to children in a two-dose series, with 4 weeks between doses for most children (for immunocompromised children, a third (booster) dose is recommended four weeks after the second dose). The Pfizer vaccine will be provided in a three-dose series, with three weeks between dose one and two, and eight weeks between dose two and three.

?As with other routine vaccinations for children, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have undergone a thorough testing and review process to ensure they are safe and effective for young children. We understand that parents still may have questions, and we respect the rights of parents to choose what medical measures are right for their child,? said Lisa Stefanovsky, Administrative Health Officer. ?Although severe illness, hospitalization and death are rare among children, there is still a risk from COVID-19. We encourage parents to talk with their trusted health care provider about what is best for their children.?

COVID-19 has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 485 children between the ages of 0-4 have died from COVID-19[ [ #_ftn2 ]2 [ [link removed] ]] [ #_ftn2 ], and many more children and teens have been hospitalized because of the disease. While children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized, the short and long-term effects of infection are unpredictable.

Currently, Ottawa County remains in the CDC?s Low COVID-19 Community Level [ [link removed] ]. OCDPH recommends staying up to date [ [link removed] ] with COVID-19 vaccines and getting tested [ [link removed] ] if you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms. Individuals may choose to wear a mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask to protect others from exposure to the virus. If you are pregnant, immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease, it is highly recommended that you get vaccinated to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Parents are encouraged to contact their child?s pediatrician or trusted health care provider for more information on vaccination or to obtain a vaccine. Clinic availability and scheduling at clinics around the county can be found by visiting vaccinatewestmi.com [ [link removed] ] or calling (616) 396-5266 to schedule an appointment at our OCDPH clinics.

The Ottawa County Department of Public Health works with our community to help assure conditions that promote and protect health. OCDPH?s vision is healthy people. For more information, [email protected], (616) 396-5266 or visit?miOttawa.org/COVID19 [ [link removed] ]. Follow us on Facebook @miOttawaHealth [ [link removed] ] or twitter @miOCDPH [ [link removed] ].

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[1] [ #_ftnref1 ] Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee June 15, 2022 Meeting, [link removed] [ [link removed] ].

[2] [ #_ftnref2 ] CDC COVID Data Tracker: Total Cases and Deaths by Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Sex, [link removed] [ [link removed] ]

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