What does approval of the Pfizer vaccine for teens and preteens mean for my child?
Q:
The federal government approved the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds. What does this mean for my child?
Extending the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to preteens and young adolescents adds nearly 17 million more Americans to the pool of those eligible to be immunized against covid-19, helping to build a vaccinated population closer to herd immunity. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are also testing the efficacy of their vaccines in teens and children.
Although children appear to catch covid less often and develop milder symptoms than adults, they can develop a rare, severe inflammatory response or long-haul covid symptoms. It also remains to be seen what, if any, long-term effects these younger patients may experience from covid.
CDC’s mask guidance spurs confusion and criticism as well as celebration Author: Isaac Stanley-Becker, Ben Guarino, Frances Stead Sellers, Ariana Eunjung Cha, Lena H. Sun, The Washington Post Updated: 2 hours ago Published 2 hours ago
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Print article WASHINGTON - Federal health officials’ decision Thursday to rescind almost all masking and distancing recommendations for fully vaccinated Americans created as much confusion as it did celebration, sending states, businesses and individuals scrambling to figure out what rules, if any, are still appropriate and when. Many, including President Joe Biden, hailed the relaxation of restrictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a milestone in the nation’s return to normal. But with a majority of Americans unvaccinated, others questioned the sudden and blanket recommendation, worrying that the onus is now heavier on state and local governments, businesses and individuals to determine whe
Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.