(SEATTLE) Smaller doses of the bivalent COVID booster have arrived here in our region, meaning local kids ages 5 to 11 can now start receiving it.
5 year-old Louis enjoys playing with friends, especially soccer. Wednesday afternoon, he was among the first batch of kids to receive the new Omicron-focused booster at Seattle Childrens Hospital.
Louis’ mom Katherine Schumway feels much better about his safety, and the safety of others.
“It just helps add a layer of confidence for us pursuing things that feel really fun like birthday parties and dinners with grandparents,” the mom says with a laugh. “Having this available to him feels like a gift. He’s missed so much over the past few years, you know, half of his life has been spent with COVID.”
We then asked her about the delay between her being able to get the new booster, and the time her young son could finally get it.
“That feels like how its been for the whole vaccination process,” Katherine responded. “Even though my wife and I have been vaccinated a long time, we didn’t want to change too much out of concern for them.
Louis has a younger sister.
Several dozen kids received the new booster Wednesday on “day one” at Seattle Childrens.
“Since September when the bivalent vaccine came out, we’ve had lots of calls for this age group,” says clinic manager Deanna Dudley. “So, it’s very exciting for our families.”
You can make an appointment for the kids booster through the Seattle Childrens website. Other providers should have a supply of the kid size dose by early next week, so you may want to look into scheduling the appointment now.
