GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- Local medical leaders say that children as young as 12 will likely be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as early next week. The CDC Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, to review Phizer's current proposal to roll out the vaccinations for the new demographic of recipients.
In a Phizer study of more than two thousand children aged 12-to-15 scientists discovered that their vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 symptoms. But, like others who got the shot found out, the vaccine can bring on symptoms like fatigue and headaches.
"You know about 40 to 50 percent are going to get that feeling, but they seem to tolerate it really well just like our 16 and 17-year olds tolerated it very well," says Dr. Ashok Rai the President and CEO of Prevea Health.
Dr. Rai says that 12-year-old children and up here in northeast Wisconsin will likely have the opportunity to be fully vaccinated well before school resumes in the fall.
"I mean really we're looking at maybe the end of this week or early next week which is great timing."
Not all parents are on the same page as doctors though. On NBC26's Facebook page many expressed discomfort and even distress over the idea of getting their kids vaccinated. But healthcare leaders say it's an important step to stop the spread of the virus.
"The data shows that in adults you have significantly reduced risk of COVID-19 after that first vaccination and so that will help prevent the spread over the summer," says Dr. Mark Cockley the Chief Clinical Officer at ThedaCare.
Dr. Cockley says it's also very possible that many kids who do get vaccinated will have less of a reaction after the second shot than some adults did.
"With COVID-19 itself, the kids are less symptomatic so that's even more promising that maybe they'll tolerate the vaccine better with less symptoms."
For now, though, the ultimate decision is still in the CDC's hands and on Wednesday they will determine when vaccinations will be available for the next group of Americans.
