Since the vaccine was released in early 2021, approximately 75% of all eligible Americans, 12 years and older, have received their full vaccination. However, its effectiveness without a booster declines every passing day.

     As of November, the only people eligible for the booster include people over 65, or people over 18 with underlying medical conditions, in long-term care or high-risk settings. People receiving the booster must already have had the vaccine for at least six months in order for the booster to be effective, according to the CDC. 

     All vaccines, Moderna, J&J, and Pfizer have boosters available for different age groups. 

     The vaccines are still deteriorating in effectiveness, and teens have no access to the shot. There is of course urgency to get everything released, according to nbcchicago.com, but there is not much information as of now for when or if teens will receive the boosters.

     The CDC has announced that as of Nov. 2, “Children ages five years and older are able to get an age-appropriate dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.” It has reached final approval for over 28 million children between 5 and 11 years old. It is recommended by the AAP to allow children without conflicting health issues to receive the vaccine as soon as possible. 

  The dosage for children is one-third of the adult dose (publications.aap.org), 10-micrograms given 21 days apart. The vaccine is already being shipped across the country and distributed to many local pharmacies. In a few days, over 18,000 kids have received their first dose in Maryland, according to the Baltimore Sun. 

     The counterclaim to the vaccine is that COVID-19 is not serious in children, but it is not only their health that is concerning approximately two-thirds of the Maryland public. “New data shows that children can pass the more contagious delta variant of the virus to other family members even if they are fully vaccinated,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Not to mention the children who need to attend school but have underlying health issues.     

     Even though they may not be as at risk, unvaccinated people, in general, are a risk to anyone vulnerable. At least 70% of people of all ages need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.

     To stay updated on the availability of booster shots and vaccinations, the CDC.gov website is regularly updated as important information is released.