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COVID Update: Vaccines, Children and Trends

A quick accounting for where we are as a nation and world.

Good news on the anticipated approval of the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5-11. Bad news for Sydney, my oldest granddaughter, who at 11 is deathly afraid of needles. For her last flu shot it took three people to hold her down while she yelled “I’m not ready!” I think that is the anthem for some New York City cops and firefighters. Although as they enter an unpaid leave status starting on Monday, Nov. 1, they may become more ready.

It is expected that 28 million children in the above age group will be eligible for the vaccine. We should expect more brouhaha at schools and school board meetings across the nation. Even private schools will have that debate, I’m sure.

Then, as the United States’ cases and deaths are trending down, the world’s cases and deaths are up 8 percent. Russia remains a hot spot due to a lower-than-expected vaccination rate. Now they, at this writing, are four days into a 10-day national lockdown. No workers going to work!

Just to be clear, the other hot spot on the world map remains the United States of America. People will be spending much more time indoors in the coming months and, yes, there is another variant brewing out there, the impact of which is not yet known.
Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.