COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
It’s official—on Tuesday, the CDC formally approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds. The infrastructure is already in place to begin vaccinating children. UHealth pediatricians will be prepared to give the vaccine to children in their clinic appointments and there will be opportunities within the community.
This is good timing because if you get your child vaccinated now, it offers protection before Thanksgiving—a time when families and friends gather. Last year, Thanksgiving was the catalyst for a significant spike in COVID-19 cases. This year we have the opportunity to prevent that, and that is certainly something to be thankful for.
In another step toward ending the pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a rule that by Jan. 4, 2022, all employees of health care systems, clinical and non-clinical, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This decision underscores the importance of being in compliance with the University of Miami vaccine policy. We are following the news and will let you know of any updates.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
Q&A: COVID-19 VACCINE FOR 5- TO 11-YEAR-OLDSMany people understandably have questions about getting their children vaccinated, so here are a few answers.
Q. Where can I get my child vaccinated?
A. UHealth pediatricians’ offices will offer the vaccine, as will local pharmacies.
Q. What if I have an 11-year-old?
A. The CDC recommends not waiting for your child to turn 12 to get them vaccinated. Also, if your child turns 12 between doses, the CDC recommends sticking with the child dose.
Q. What is the risk of myocarditis in children who receive the vacine?
A. No children in the clinical trial developed myocarditis. Plus, a September study published by the CDC reported that people of all ages with COVID-19 had a nearly 16-times greater risk of developing myocarditis than people without COVID.
Q. What are the side effects of the children’s vaccine?
A. The side effects associated with the children’s vaccine are the same as with the adult dose, with the most common being pain and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, and headaches. The incidence of fever and chills was less than what is seen in the adult population.
Q. Can children receive other vaccines at the same time?
A. The CDC says that a COVID-19 vaccine “may be administered without regard to timing of other
vaccines. This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines on the same day.”
THE 5-11 EFFECT While vaccinating children in this age group will likely not push us toward herd immunity, it is a crucial step in getting us back to normal. Data from the CDC show that since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 1.9 million U.S. children ages 5-11 tested positive for COVID-19. Research also shows that children are just as likely to get the virus as adults and household transmission to adult family members is common. In addition, modeling published in the journal Nature shows that vaccinating this age group may significantly impact overall infection rates, hospitalizations, and death should a new variant appear.
VACCINATION VS. PRIOR INFECTIONA new study published by the CDC looked at more than 6,000 patients hospitalized with symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19. It showed that unvaccinated patients with prior COVID-19 infection were five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than patients who had been vaccinated. The data was collected from 187 hospitals across nine states during January–September 2021. According to the CDC, this study adds to the body of evidence that vaccination offers more protection than prior infection. So, if someone you know has chosen not to get vaccinated because they already had COVID, please share this information with them in the hopes they reconsider.
GENETIC RESISTANCE?An international team of researchers is enrolling people who appear to have genetic resistance to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Interestingly, the way they are trying to narrow down that population is by looking at couples who share a house and bed where one of them tested positive for COVID-19, but the other did not. The researchers will then compare the couple’s genomes in the hopes of figuring out why. Hypotheses include “some people don’t have a functioning ACE2 receptor, which SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter cells” or “some people might have mutations that ramp up genes that stop the virus from replicating and repackaging into new viral particles, or that break down viral RNA in the cell.”
CULTIVATING EMPATHY Whether fueled by people’s public health decisions, political stances, or other miscellaneous reasons, it seems that there is a lot of divisiveness and even resentment. This environment can undoubtedly take its toll on mental wellness, but there is a way to protect yourself by cultivating empathy.
Some people believe that either you are empathetic or you’re not. However, this is not true; it becomes easier to put yourself in someone else’s shoes with practice and mindfulness. Doing things like reading fiction and exposing yourself to other cultures allows you to see beyond yourself. Focus on similarities between you and others instead of differences. Also, ask open-ended questions when speaking with people with opposing views and avoid making negative assumptions about others’ intentions.
Opening your mind can open your heart.
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We will share more health and wellness news in the next edition. |
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COVID-19 RESOURCES
Students, faculty, and staff on the Coral Gables and Marine campuses who are experiencing possible symptoms consistent with, or who have been potentially exposed to, COVID-19 should contact the University's COVID-19 hotline at 305-243-ONE-U, where UHealth physicians and providers are available to answer your questions and provide telemedicine services if needed.
Members of the Medical Campus should contact 305-243-8378.
For additional University of Miami COVID-19 information and resources, visit coronavirus.miami.edu.
If you are a student in distress or need counseling services, the Counseling Center provides mental health services through HIPAA-compliant teleconferencing platforms. Counselors are certified and available to help any time by calling 305-284-5511. Additional resources are also available by visiting counseling.studentaffairs.miami.edu.
If you are a faculty or staff members in need of support visit fsap.miami.edu. |
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