Public Health Partners Assert Importance of COVID-19 Vaccines in Pandemic Fight

ATLANTA, March 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As leading public health organizations, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC), and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) urge all children five years of age and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to help protect them and their families from severe infections, hospitalizations and even death and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community. COVID-19 vaccination is the best protection for children against COVID-19 and its potential short- and long-term complications. Vaccination also helps reduce the spread of COVID-19 to others in the community who are at a higher risk for hospitalization and death following infection.

The strong data showing that the vaccine is both safe and effective allows parents to know they are making the best choice for the health of their children when they choose to get them vaccinated. Contrary to the misinformation arising in some jurisdictions, the benefit of getting vaccinated far outweighs any risks. The vaccine protects children from serious complications of COVID-19 infection, helps to keep them in school, and makes their entire community safer.

The COVID-19 vaccine for children is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health and healthcare experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the Infectious Disease Society of America. The COVID-19 vaccine was first recommended for children five years of age and older in November 2021 and now more than 26 million children have received at least one dose of vaccine. While the vaccine trials involved fewer individuals, the widespread use and monitoring of the vaccine post-trial among millions and millions of children confirms the safety of the vaccines demonstrated in the initial trials is exceptional. Achieving high COVID-19 vaccination rates in all age groups, including children five years of age and older, remains a critical tool in preventing unnecessary illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in our communities, while providing a path forward towards a return to normalcy.

Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) https://www.cste.org/. Jeremy Arieh, [email protected]

Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) www.immunizationmanagers.org/ Angelika Hernandez, [email protected]

Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) https://www.aphl.org/ Michelle Forman, [email protected] 

Big Cities Health https://www.bigcitieshealth.org/ Elizabeth Green, [email protected]

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) www.naccho.org Theresa Spinner, [email protected] 

SOURCE Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)