As child COVID vaccine delivered to AU Health, doctor shares advice

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - New numbers are in showing us just how many kids ages 5 to 11 are getting vaccinated across the two-state. We reached out to Georgia’s Department of Public Health and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

DPH tells us it’s istered more than 20,000 first doses. That’s about 2 percent of the state’s population of kids 5 to 11. In South Carolina the number of doses istered is more than 7,000. Or 1.6 percent of the state’s population for the age group.

Augusta University Health just got kid doses delivered there. So how many doses are we talking?

We’re talking about 1,200 doses. They started taking appointments Friday.

Vaccines for kids are rolling out and many of you face a decision. Doctors say it’s a decision you should make with your pediatrician.

“You’ve entrusted your child’s care with that pediatrician since the time they were born, that pediatrician knows your child best,” said Dr. Joshua Wyche, AU Health.

Wyche says if your child is between 5 and 11, make sure the vaccine is coming out of an orange-capped jar. The shot in that jar is the one kids are supposed to get.

“Double checking is going to be a paramount to ensure the safety, and people get recommended and correct dose of the vaccine,” he said.

The kids dose is one third of what everyone else gets. Studies show kids’ get similar protection with less vaccine. But what if you have a child on the edge of that age group – say 11 years old? Should they wait to turn 12 when they can get the higher dose?

“The key is that it is a dose based on age and not based on weight, size or any other parameter for the child, so if the child is the child is 11, they need the 11-year-old dose, if the child is 12 they need the 12-year-old dose,” he said.

AU Health says it has 1,200 doses and again is starting to take appointments. But Wyche believes most people will get it through their pediatrician or pharmacies. You can find out who has it using vaccines.gov.

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