Utah pediatricians address child vaccinations as school year approaches

person holding white ballpoint pen Photo: Photo by Mufid Majnun

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. — In a press conference on Friday, medical experts from the University of Utah, Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, and Intermountain Healthcare discussed the state of COVID-19 for children as the school year approaches.

Dr. Andy Pavia of the University of Utah praised the fact that roughly 38% of Utahns age 12-15 have received their first vaccine dose. He said it’s one of the only pandemic statistics that Utah is a leader in.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Pavia said. He said myths about vaccines, like their impact on fertility is “hogwash.”

He said while it’s true the vaccine carries a small amount of risk, the benefit far outweighs the potential negatives. His recommendation for families that are uneasy about the vaccine is to discuss it with their trusted primary care doctor or pediatrician.

While the delta variant is currently infecting younger people more, Pavia said that is likely because the vaccination rates in the older population are much higher comparatively.

In an ideal world, he would like to see unvaccinated children wearing masks when school returns in the fall. He credited the state with how in-person school was conducted last year and expressed confidence as the new year approaches.

Dr. Tim Duffy of Intermountain Healthcare agreed with that stance. Duffy was also passionate about addressing the misinformation concerns on the internet.

“It’s important we stay ahead of it,” he said. While Facebook is commonly seen as the primary culprit of spreading false information, he said it’s impossible to place all the blame on one platform.

You can find where to get a vaccination in Utah here.