COVID-19 vaccine hunt for young children in the US has now become a task, as pharmacies and pediatricians' offices struggle to stock age-appropriate doses. Thanks to the regulatory confusion and limited supply. The New York Times reports that with the latest round of COVID shots and its availability for adults, many parents are now facing a dead end to secure vaccines for their children, especially those under 12. What Is The Confusion All About?The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s restricted approval that limited new Covid vaccine authorizations to adults who are 65 and older or those with high-risk conditions has led to this confusion. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s broader recommendation weeks later that allowed anyone over six months to get vaccinated in consultation with doctor further fueled the confusion. There is a lack in guidance, along with logistical and contractual hurdles, which has left many pediatric offices, and pharmacies, without appropriate pediatric doses. This gap is now frustrating parents across the country. A Confusion That Triggered The ShortageIt was in August, when FDA updated its COVID vaccines recommendations, but only for older adults and individuals with underlying conditions. The move excluded children and thus created uncertainty among healthcare providers about whether children are liable to have the vaccines administered. A few weeks after this, the CDC also issued its own recommendation stating that new shots could be offered to anyone aged six months and older, provided the decision is made after consulting a doctor. However, the agency's acting director did not sign off the recommendation until two weeks later. This created a window for confusion, making many healthcare providers unsure of the safety of vaccines for children. Why Was There Confusion?The confusion was created also because of the different formulation and smaller doses that children under 12 require in contrast with adults. The delay thus left many providers hesitant to order vaccines. For instance, Pfizer's updated shot was approved only for children aged five and above, which made Moderna as the only options for infants and toddlers.The representatives of both the companies, as reported by the NYT say that supply is not the issue as doses exist, the issue is the regulatory uncertainty and low perceived demand, which have kept the healthcare provider from placing order. The Dilemma That Pediatricians Are Going ThroughSome pediatricians are reluctant to offer vaccines until the federal guidance are finalized, this is due to their liability concerns. One Virginia pediatric practice told parents that offering shots before the final CDC confirmation could raise questions of malpractice. “It is very unusual for doctors to have to navigate a disagreement between the recommendations of the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics,” said Dr. Thomas Nguyen, a pediatrician in Canton, Ohio, adding that the uncertainty delayed his clinic’s decision to place vaccine orders, as reported by the NYT. Even among the clinics that did order vaccines, the distribution is slow. Dr. Nguyen said his team placed a “small order” with Moderna on September 11, but it took nearly two weeks for the doses to arrive.The Plight of ParentsSome of the parents who spoke to the NYT reveled their frustration and struggles, across the US. In Chicago, Jill Schwartz has spent weeks trying to find vaccines for her three young children, aged 1, 3, and 5. “I tried their pediatrician’s office, a clinic, and multiple pharmacies — no luck."In Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, Rebecca Seidel said she called three different CVS locations after being told none had pediatric doses. When she reached out to her pediatrician, she was simply referred back to CVS.In Portland, Maine, Leigh Bullion said she called a dozen providers before finding a pharmacy nearly 20 miles away that had pediatric appointments available. “It’s just like a nightmare,” she said.Some parents like Caitlin Smith in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have spent weeks calling pharmacies and pediatricians across their city. She finally secured appointments for her children after more than three weeks of searching, only to learn the pharmacy had received just 10 pediatric doses. “It feels like the system for pediatric Covid vaccines is designed on the assumption that parents are vaccine-hesitant,” she said. “It’s extraordinarily frustrating for parents who are not hesitant and want to protect our kids.”
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