A Fond du Lac Regional Clinic Family Medicine physician says news that U.S. health advisers have endorsed Pfizer’s low-dose COVID-19 vaccine for young children is positive. Dr. Taha El Shahat says being able to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 is something that a lot of people were hoping would get approved. Dr. El Shahat says more young people, including children have become sick during this latest COVID-19 surge. Last fall almost everyone who was hospitalized for the virus was older. Dr. El Shahat says this fall, many more young people have been hospitalized. “It is quite striking when you look at the data coming out of the hospitals, especially our local hospitals,” Dr. El Shahat told WFDL news. “Just the rate of spread is the most striking thing to me.” A study found kid-size vaccinations are nearly 91 percent effective at preventing symptomatic infections. If regulators agree, shots could begin as early as late next week.
