Orange County

AdventHealth doctors encourage parents to get newly eligible children vaccinated for COVID-19

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth doctors said COVID-19 vaccine shots for children ages 5 to 11 should be available at various facilities including urgent care clinics, doctor’s offices, retailers, and schools around Central Florida, possibly by next week.

On Thursday, the chief medical officer and medical director of its hospital for children reiterated the safety of the vaccine for kids and the impressive results of the studies.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

“There were 3,000 kids in the initial trials and it was better tolerated than it was in the adolescent group and the adults, it’s extremely safe, and no serious side effects, which I think is very encouraging,” said Dr. Michael Keating, chief medical officer at AdventHealth for Children.

READ: See where your child can get the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange County

The doctors said it’s still critical to get kids vaccinated despite the current lower rates of infection, because of the area’s lack of herd immunity.

They advise entire families to get vaccinated, if possible, to ensure the best protection against the virus.

READ: Coronavirus: United Kingdom authorizes Merck’s COVID-19 pill

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.

0