TEXAS, USA — Very soon millions of children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old may be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
With everyone still awaiting the full approval from the FDA and CDC, health officials want parents to know if you plan on your child getting the vaccine, it's best to talk with about it before they receive it.
“Try to connect it to what they already know which is that they've had vaccines before and they’ve gotten through it," says Jody Baumstein.
Which is something, mother of three, Amanda Provence has been doing with her 11-year-old son.
“He understands it a lot," says Provence, “on a personal level, he is very scared. Anytime he gets a cough, he like 'do I need to go to doctor'? 'Am I okay?'"
She says by openly having dialogue with him about it, she eases his worries.
"I don’t want that for him. I want him to have a peace of mind about the vaccination."
If you decide to have the conversation with your child, it's best to be honest with them and help them understand the process in simple terms.
"You can talk to them about how they might feel some pressure as the vaccine goes into their arm helping to describe it by keeping it as simple and straightforward as possible," says Jody Baumstein.
Health officials also want parents to just try their best explaining the vaccine to the best of their ability, it's okay if you don't have every answer.
