Archive for vaccines
Navigating friendships and vaccines
With kids finally back at school and other activities after more than a year, many families now find themselves facing yet another chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic: contending with those who don’t share their views on getting vaccinated. We spoke with Erica Lee, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital, about navigating ... Read More
What to expect from cold and flu season this year
At least fewer people came down with colds and flu in 2020: That’s one of the few positive things we can say about the year of widespread social distancing. Rates of influenza and several other viral infections were historically low, and even the common cold seemed to take the year off from making kids and ... Read More
COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What has to happen first
Now that adults and older teens are receiving COVID-19 vaccines, some younger kids are wondering why they can’t get vaccinated too. While testing has begun in children 6 months to age 12, we aren’t ready to begin vaccinating most kids yet. But we do know the steps the companies are taking to be sure their ... Read More
You’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine. What now?
As more and more people across the country get vaccinated for COVID-19, the rules for social distancing are also slowly shifting. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rolled out new guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated. But these rules can still be a bit confusing for families, especially when some family ... Read More
Looking for a coronavirus vaccine near you? VaccineFinder may have answers
Soon, any American eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will be able to search VaccineFinder, an easy-to-use website hosted and run by Boston Children’s Hospital with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The site went live last week in Alaska, Tennessee, Indiana and Iowa, and will be extended to other states as vaccine distribution ramps ... Read More
What you need to know about the new COVID-19 vaccine
Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Johnson and Johnson (J&J) emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine. We spoke with Dr. Thomas Sandora, hospital epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, to learn more about this new vaccine, including how effective it was in clinical trials and how it compares with the two COVID-19 vaccines ... Read More
HPV vaccine: What families should know
Nearly 80 million Americans are currently infected with human papillomavirus (HPV). For most, HPV goes away on its own. If it doesn’t, it can lead to certain cancers. HPV can be transmitted sexually or by nonpenetrative skin-to-skin contact. Often, HPV does not have signs or symptoms, so you can have and spread HPV without even ... Read More
The COVID-19 vaccine: Why some people of color hesitate
The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on people of color. In addition to higher rates of infection, serious illness, and death, many Black and Latino communities have experienced profound economic hardship and increased anxiety and depression during the pandemic. Against this backdrop, the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna might seem like great ... Read More
Getting COVID-19 vaccines to medically fragile children
As COVID-19 vaccines slowly roll out, should children who need complex care or have serious medical conditions be vaccinated? We asked experts around Boston Children’s Hospital, and their resounding answer is: Yes, if they are age 16 or older. Boston Children’s is actively planning to make vaccination happen for as many patients as possible, as ... Read More
The COVID-19 vaccine for kids: When will children be vaccinated?
In late 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency use authorization to two COVID-19 vaccines — one from Pfizer/BioNTech, the other from Moderna. Other vaccines are expected to be authorized soon. Currently the Pfizer vaccine can be given to people ages 16 years and older; Moderna’s is for use in those 18 ... Read More