Headline RoundupOctober 25th, 2021

Perspectives: The COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids

Summary from the AllSides News Team

As COVID-19 vaccines for nearly 28 million U.S. children near federal approval, parents remain divided on whether to give kids the shot. 

White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci said over the weekend that kids under 12 could begin getting COVID-19 shots "within the first week or two of November." The White House unveiled its plan to encourage vaccines for kids last week, and Moderna and Pfizer both say their vaccines are safe for kids age 6 to 11. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration shared a study saying the benefits of Pfizer's vaccine for kids "would clearly outweigh" the risks. With Halloween this Sunday, CDC director Rochelle Walensky said that kids should "Put on those costumes, stay outside and enjoy your trick-or-treating" but advised against gathering "in large settings outside."

Health professionals and others offered differing opinions about vaccinating children. Some doctors writing in left-rated outlets advocated for mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children in schools, citing the risk unvaccinated kids could pose to others even if they themselves don't get sick. Some doctors writing in right-rated outlets criticized mandates for kids, citing the very low rates of hospitalization and death for kids who contract COVID-19. Other opinions focused on how to discuss vaccines with children who may not fully understand the situation, or argued that being hesitant to vaccinate kids against COVID-19 at this point doesn't make parents anti-vaxxers.

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