Following the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and health districts throughout Georgia are offering Pfizer pediatric COVID vaccine to children 5-11 years old, but not many parents in Chattooga County have had their children vaccinated.

According to the latest numbers, only 517 Chattooga County children between the ages of 5 and 19 have been vaccinated.  That translates to about 11% of the children in the county eligible to receive the vaccine.

According to the Northwest Georgia Department of Public Health, “The Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine is over 90% effective at preventing COVID-19 in children ages 5 through 11 years.”

The pediatric Pfizer COVID vaccine is authorized for children as a 2-dose series taken 3 weeks apart. The dose for children ages 5-11 is one-third of the dosage of the vaccine for adolescents and adults. In clinical trials, vaccination was nearly 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among younger children. Vaccine side effects were mild and temporary. The most common side effect was a sore arm.