“Kids don’t need the vaccine.”
Children are far less likely to get seriously sick and die from covid-19 than other age groups. But that low risk doesn’t mean no risk at all. Among kids ages 5 to 14, covid-19 has been a top 10 leading cause of death for most of this year. Hospitalizations, missed days of school, and just plain covid-related misery are also other things worth preventing. And though the math is different, experts have still concluded that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh the small risks they may have.
Another thing to keep in mind is that many childhood vaccines given today prevent diseases that were even less deadly in their time than covid-19 is currently, like chickenpox or measles. Death isn’t the only outcome worth caring about when it comes to our health, and that includes the health of kids.
