With school back up and running, the FDA has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, as of November 2021. While there has initially been some hesitation, many Latinx parents have felt that overall the safety of their child is their top priority in the fight against the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.

“I had some questions but, overall relief because we wanted our little one to be protected, so overall relief that we could access that vaccine,” said Celina Gonzalez, mother of 5 year old Paola at CASA after school program. 

According to the SF.gov, around 81 percent of the Latino adult population in the San Francisco area has been vaccinated, however there have been some concerns in offering the newly formed vaccine to children.

“Well when something gets rolled out to start with, I’m curious to have a little time go by and see how just kids are responding to the vaccine. My husband, who is a trained virologist, said that if they are rolling out with it, of course it’s going to be effective on some level. He understands the way the vaccine works more differently than I do so he was fully onboard from the beginning,” said Gonzalez.

Hesitation, fear, and not understanding how the virus works has been the primary concern for many with the vaccine rollout. “There has been a lot more fears and limited understanding on how the vaccine works and some fears are, will the secondary effects going to be more dangerous than acquiring the vaccination,” said Gonzalez. “Those are some of the thought processes on my family’s side. As well as some part of my family is opposed for religious reasons.” 

“As a virologist with a Ph.D. from UCSF, I had no hesitation in having Paola (my daughter) vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Mark Kunitomi. “Not only are the vaccines safe, they help the immunocompromised and other at-risk people, so your children (as well as yourselves) aren’t just making themselves safer, they are protecting the people around them.”

Many parents are happy to report that the Pfizer vaccine, offered at a lower dose, has been approved for children. 

“I am very trusting in science, but I also feel like anything would be better than nothing to help them build up on the antibodies so they could be healthy, and also so that in the future this doesn’t return,” said Ivy Carol, whose daughter Carter is five years old. 

The vaccination in adults has produced a mixed bag on symptoms, however the lower dosage provided to children can be likened to the sore arm after effects of the flu shot. “She actually didn’t really have any symptoms,” said Ivy when asked about her daughter Carter. “She was tired one day and I think her arm hurt for just a little bit, but she didn’t have any side effects and we’ve had no problems.”

As for Carter, she said, “ I was kinda nervous, but then when it poked me I was scared, but we were watching tv and that made me happy.”

As of now 32 percent of children, of all ethnicity and backgrounds in San Francisco, have been vaccinated with at least one dose and the number is expected to increase.