the vaccines are also not approved for children as they were mostly excluded from the studies as well, but research is currently underway to ensure it is safe for them to use. stephen hahn, the u.s. food and drug commissioner, said they do not yet have a time for when children will be given the green light,
according to cnn
. “as soon as possible, obviously with great speed,” hahn said. “sometimes there are gaps in information, and we have to fill those gaps in information after something like an emergency use authorization to get the answers to the questions that you’re asking.”
ultimately, the risks, as currently known, are relatively small when stacked up against the good the vaccine can deliver, which is a long anticipated return to normalcy and safety by as early as next spring, lee said. but everyone needs to be onboard for that to happen.
“you might be thinking, ‘if everyone else gets vaccinated, i don’t need to bother,’” she said. “this is not correct. for starters, some people can’t have the vaccine for medical reasons.”
the only way to achieve herd immunity, she said, is to set an example for others to follow by stepping up and getting the shot. “just because the vaccine was produced in record time does not mean it’s not safe. we are all human, and humans make mistakes.