Only two in 100 Dallas children under 5 have been vaccinated for covid-19

Two months since the COVID-19 vaccine for children became available in Dallas County, roughly 2.2% of the population under 5 have been immunized.

According to data from the Texas Health and Human Services Department (HHSC), which updates daily, about 3,906 children under 5 have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Of them, 769 have completed their initial vaccination dose, or 0.4%. For context, the county is home to about 178,500 children age 0 to 5, according to the most recent 2021 Census Bureau population estimates. That means just 2 out of 100 children in that age group have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Nationally, 6% of children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dallas County Health and Human Services Department (DCHHS) announced the availability of COVID-19 pediatric vaccines on June 21, just a few days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved the vaccine for children under 5 nationwide. At the moment, Dr. Philip Huang, DCHHS director, said COVID-19 was the fifth cause of death among small children and infants across the nation.

“This still is something very serious to consider for the youngest children. There continues to be severe illnesses, complications and deaths that can occur in this age group,” Huang said while announcing the vaccine availability in June.

Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine is 73% effective in protecting children under 5 years of age against the omicron variant, the company said on Aug. 23.

Other North Texas counties have reported lower numbers than Dallas, though representing larger shares of the population. In Tarrant County, 3,563 children younger than 5 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, or 2.6% of that age group. In Collin County, that number is 2,339, or 3.6%.

The vaccines available for this age group are from Pfizer and Moderna. The Pfizer shot is prescribed for children six months to age 4, who must receive the second dose three to eight weeks after the first inoculation. It also has a booster shot, which must be applied at least eight weeks after the second. Moderna’s vaccine is prescribed for children six months to age 5, with two doses administered four to eight weeks apart.

Compared to other large population centers in Texas, Dallas is behind counties like Harris and Travis in children inoculation rates against COVID-19. Harris County, where Houston is located, has vaccinated more than 16,500 children under 5 years out of 326,000; Travis, home to Austin, reported 9,349 children out of 73,000 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to Texas HHSC data.

Why people don’t vaccinate their youngest children

Dr. Erin Carlson, associate professor at the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, said three factors could explain low vaccination rates among children under 5 in North Texas counties.

First, there’s a perception of a lack of urgency in the community regarding the severity of the illness. Another factor is that fewer vaccination centers for children under 5 are available compared to other age groups. And third, parents might be waiting until their next pediatrician visit to give their children all their shots, including against COVID-19.

“It’s one thing for an adult to feel comfortable walking into any drug store to have a stranger put a needle into their arm. But with the youngest children is quite another story,” she said.

Initially, shots for children under 5 were available only at DCHHS clinics. An updated list of vaccination centers can be found at vaccines.gov. Also, most drug stores offer options for children older than 3.

According to Carlson, it could take at least a year to see “real” vaccination rates among the under-5 population. Past immunization cycles among other age groups have shown an initial trend of early adopters followed by months of slow adoption among the general population.

“That’s when public health figure out the way to best communicate the information… it’s a whole new ball game with regard to how do we get this information to people,” Dr. Carlson said.

Older people get vaccinated

Dallas County has given at least one dose of the vaccine to more of 76,000 children 5 to 11 and to more than 99,000 children 12 to 15, Texas HHSC data show.

Christian Grisales, spokesman for the Dallas’ Health and Human Services Department, said said fear of the vaccine among parents has damped immunization rates in the younger age group.

“The message we want to relay to the community is that the vaccine is safe for people older than six months, and (we) suggest that they vaccinate their babies as soon as possible to prevent them from getting sick.”

Fort Worth resident Carmen Rodríguez, 42, who has a child newly enrolled in pre-K and another who just began second grade at Manuel Jara Elementary, said she first hesitated at vaccinating her children because of disinformation she read in social media.

“I didn’t feel like vaccinating them, but there’s also the risk of not being vaccinated,” said Rodríguez, who finally decided to inoculate her children before the start of the school year.

As in the case of Rodríguez, one concern among parents about vaccinating their youngest children was the belief that the vaccine was too powerful for babies.

Carlson thinks that hesitation is understandable.

“However, one needs to really educate themselves about the science of it in terms of safety and efficacy in terms of the solid foundation from the FDA and the science-based approvals.”

The Pfizer vaccine given to children under 4 is a tenth of the shots administered to adults, and Moderna’s vaccine is a fourth of the adult dose.

When the CDC approved vaccination for children under 5, around 20 million children became eligible for the vaccine nationwide.

“I encourage parents and caregivers with questions to talk to their doctor, nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the benefits of vaccinations and the importance of protecting their children by getting them vaccinated,” said CDC director Rochelle P. Walensky.

DCHHS clinics offering vaccines for children under 5

Besides the DCHHS clinics, vaccines.gov has a detailed list of all the pharmacies and vaccination centers for children closest to you by Zip Code.

Vaccination clinic DCHHS Stemmons | 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, #159 (first floor)

Vaccination clinic Oak Cliff Branch | 1113 E. Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 200

Vaccination clinic John West Branch | 3312 N. Buckner Boulevard, Suite 200

Vaccination clinic Carrollton Farmers Branch | 2774 Valwood Parkway, Farmers Branch

Vaccination clinic Irving Branch | 440 S. Nursery Road, Irving