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NASN Supports Pediatric Vaccination Against COVID-19

By NASN Inc posted 11-03-2021 15:24

  

For Immediate Release
November 3, 2021

National Association of School Nurses
Contact: Carol Walsh cwalsh@nasn.org

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES SUPPORTS PEDIATRIC VACCINATION AGAINST COVID-19

Silver Spring, MD– On November 2, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended children ages 5 through 11 years receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. With many children back in school and participating in extracurricular activities, and cases of COVID-19 still high across the U.S., vaccinating children ages 5 through 11 years is critical to preventing infections and therefore possible severe disease, as well as reducing COVID-19 transmission. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) supports immunizations, inclusive of COVID-19 vaccination, as essential to primary prevention of disease from infancy through adulthood.

Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 2 million cases of COVID-19 have involved children ages 5-11. While children are at a lower risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus and there is no way to tell in advance if a child will get a severe or mild case. The decision by FDA and CDC to expand and recommend the use of the vaccine among children followed an in-depth review of available safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy data.

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, endorsed the CDC APIC recommendation, stating, “Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus that causes COVID-19. We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated."

School nurses are ready to discuss concerns and questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. “As trusted health providers working directly in communities where families live, learn, play, work and worship, school nurses stand ready to provide culturally relevant, factual education about the importance of vaccine uptake,” said Linda Mendonça, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, NASN President.

About NASN

The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has more than 17,000 members and 50 affiliates, including one in the District of Columbia and one serving school nurses overseas. The mission of NASN is to optimize student health and learning by advancing the practice of school nursing. Please visit us at www.nasn.org.

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