COVID czar hopeful parents will choose to vaccinate youngest West Virginians

Moderna recently asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization for its vaccine for children under age 6, opening the door for the youngest group of Americans to gain protection against the virus.

State COVID-19 Czar Dr. Clay Marsh, speaking during Gov. Jim Justice’s press briefing Thursday, said parents of young children have been “waiting with bated breath” for the authorization.

“Getting children vaccinated is very important,” he said.

Currently, people ages 5 years and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

After the primary series, first booster shots are recommended for those 12 and older.

Second booster shots for those age 50 and over who are 4 months or greater from their first booster have been authorized by FDA and recommended by CDC, as well as for younger individuals over 12 years old with serious and chronic health conditions that lead to being considered moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Only 19.02% of West Virginians ages 5 to 11 have received an initial vaccine dose and only 15.30% are fully vaccinated, according to information from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

It’s too early to predict what the demand will be like for Moderna’s vaccine for younger children, Marsh said.

“I hope that the uptake continues to be better than we’ve seen thus far in younger people,” he said. “And we hope that parents really do see this an opportunity to protect their children from these complications of COVID-19.”

Also on Thursday:

— State Health Officer Dr. Ayne Amjad reported there are now 80 active cases of COVID-19 in the state caused by the BA.2 sub-variant of the Omicron variant.

“We expect that to rise,” she said. “So please go out and get your booster shots.”

— The DHHR reported four additional deaths caused by COVID-19, bringing the state’s total pandemic death toll to 6,855.

Deaths reported as a result of the Bureau for Public Health’s continuing data reconciliation with the official death certificate are an 85-year old male from Kanawha County, a 91-year old female from Kanawha County, a 72-year old female from Nicholas County, and an 86-year old female from Kanawha County. These deaths range from February to April 2022, with one death occurring in September 2021.

“We must choose to utilize available preventive measures to stop the loss of more West Virginians,” said DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch. “The families who have lost a loved one due to the COVID-19 pandemic are in our thoughts.”

To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.