CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Data shows that more older people are getting vaccinated in North Carolina than younger people. A large reason for that is that vaccines were available to adults much sooner, but state leaders are concerned fewer kids are getting vaccinated as the delta variant spreads.
Children have made up almost a third of the COVID-19 cases in the state for the last three weeks. Some of them aren't eligible to be vaccinated and only a small population of those who are eligible are rolling up their sleeves.
Historically, getting a shot is not a child's favorite thing to do, but state leaders are urging parents and teens to think hard about the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Less than half of those ages 12-24 have had one dose and case rates right now are the highest in this age group,” Governor Roy Cooper said at a media briefing on Tuesday.
The unvaccinated are the most vulnerable to catching and spreading the highly contagious delta variant. Right now in North Carolina, only 38% of children ages 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated.
“That’s the group right now that it’s really going through and if we can slow it down in that group, COVID is going to go away a lot faster,” Dr. Christopher Ohl with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist said.
Experts are finding there is some hesitancy among parents who have concerns about possible side effects or long-term impacts the shots could have on their kids.
“I think the psychology is for a parent that they can't fathom any kind of problem that their child might get from something they did and the parent makes the decision for you to go get a vaccine,” Ohl said.
But doctors say side effects like myocarditis are more likely to come from a COVID-19 infection itself than from the vaccine and the rewards of the protection they offer far outweigh the risks.
“I would have no hesitation giving my children the vaccine or offering it to my pediatric patients it's something I’ve been waiting for and it’s something the data has truly supported,” Dr. Karla Robinson with Urban House Call Health Group said.
A Pfizer shot for even younger kids, those ages 5 to 11, could be coming by the end of the year too but the FDA and CDC still have to go through the data and approve it.
The state has a new resource just for teens, they’re encouraging them to visit teenvaxfacts.com
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.