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Des Moines pediatrician answers your vaccine questions about kids 5 to 11

A pediatrician at Broadlawns Medical Center answers questions from parents about children ages 5-11 getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Health leaders across Iowa are getting ready to receive thousands of Pfizer COVID vaccines for kids ages five to 11

As soon as next week, young kids could get their first doses of the shot. 

Local 5 received some questions from a few parents and went to Dr. Abby Allard, a pediatrician at Broadlawns Medical center, to get them answered. 

Do you have a question about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11? Send us an email or text us at 515-457-1026!

Will kids experience different side effects than adults?

"I mean it's very person-dependent," Allard said. "Some people are going to be more tired. Others aren't going to feel it at all. I feel like the younger population does not get the same fatigue, body aches, that the adult population does. But there still might be some soreness at the sight of the injection."

If my child has a childhood disease, should I avoid getting the vaccine for them?

"If your child does have a disease, they should get vaccinated to protect them, because if a child already has an illness and then gets hit with covid illness, it's going to take them longer to recover," Allard said.

Will kids be able to mix vaccines?

"At this point, we're just trying to get emergency use authorization for the children," Allard said. "Haven't talked about the booster dose, but if it's effective and mixing the doses is effective in adults then I can assume that might be looked at for the children."

Allard noted kids will not receive the same dosage of the vaccine as adults, and will get one-third of that amount in shots. 

The doctor also said it's important for parents to know, if the vaccine is authorized for kids in that age group, they will have to get two shots. 

RELATED: Iowa child care centers prepare for younger kids to get vaccinated

RELATED: Iowa pharmacies preparing to rollout Pfizer's pediatric COVID-19 vaccine once approved

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