This week the Pfizer and Moderna COVID 19 vaccines were approved by the CDC and FDA for children 6 months to 5 years. This comes as a welcome relief to some parents of young children fed up with the stress and impact of COVID lock downs, and a contentious conflict for others who worry about unknown side effects. Dr. Amelia Boehme, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, who studies the disease among other diseases and their effects on adolescents, joins the podcast to weigh the benefits and risks of the vaccine. As well as her professional knowledge on disease and vaccine, Amelia shares her and her sons personal battle with COVID 19 and long Covid symptoms for her 10 year old son, Nate. Kate and Amelia dig into where vaccine hesitancy in adolescents first became prevalent and if there are causes for concern with the new vaccine and MRNA. Amelia weighs the risks of all COVID 19 variants and long term effects on children and adults against the short terms and long term effects documented with the COVID 19 vaccine and the over 20 years of MRNA vaccine use. Listen for her insights and take her up on a DM to @akboehme on Instagram, but most importantly talk to your pediatrician to decide what is best for you and your child.
Amelia K. Boehme PhD MSPH is an epidemiologist and assistant professor at Columbia University. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic her research focused on the relationship between infections and neurologic/cardiovascular outcomes, particularly in younger populations.
