STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTO BY JOY PRUDEK

St. Luke’s children’s physicians will host a YouTube Question and Answer session about “THE COVID-19 Vaccine and Children” at noon today—Thursday May 20.

The event, suitable for everyone from grandparents to kids, will offer participants a chance to ask their questions in the chat. People can also send questions in advance to communications@slhs.org

The session will be recorded and made available on St. Luke’s social media sites. A similar session in Spanish will also be available.

Since March 2020 about 1.5 million children 11 to 17 years of age have tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States. The Pfizer vaccine now being used on those 12 and older was tested in a clinical trial of 2,260 participants ages 12 through 15.

None of the children who received the vaccine got COVID, making it 100 percent effective. Eighteen of those who received a placebo contracted the virus.

The vaccine was well tolerated among children but there was a few more incidences of fever than there were in older teens and adults. To learn more, visit https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use

St. Luke’s Wood River plans to begin offering the Pfizer vaccine at its Hailey clinic beginning Monday, May 24.