Pediatricians are helping increase Covid-19 vaccine coverage by vaccinating adults

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Sat, 2021-06-19 13:02 — mike kraft

Pediatricians work to close gaps in Covid-19 vaccine coverage by vaccinating adults As pediatricians vaccinate newly eligible children and teens against Covid-19, some of them say they are giving just as many shots to adults. Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN CNN

(CNN) As pediatricians vaccinate newly eligible children and teens against Covid-19, some of them say they are giving just as many shots to adults.

When the Biden administration kicked off a "month of action" this June, aimed at vaccinating 70% of the adult population with at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose by July 4, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy acknowledged it wouldn't be an easy task.

"Because we had so much success early on, we are now getting to the part of the campaign which is tougher," Murthy said. "We've got to look further, if you will -- convince more people, get to the right information, increase access even further."

With CDC data showing 64.6% of the adult population vaccinated with at least one dose and vaccines available to Americans 12 and older, pediatricians are now working to fill in some of the gaps in vaccine coverage.

One month after Sandhills Pediatrics in Southern Pines, North Carolina started offering the Covid-19 vaccine, the practice administered 940 doses of the Pfizer vaccine -- 268 went not to patients, but adults over the age of 23.

Dr. Christoph Diasio, a pediatrician at the office, said he offers the vaccine to most patients and their family members.

"I've seen every reaction from arms crossed, basically jumping away from me; 'There's no way I'll get that,' to 'I've been meaning to -- I just haven't been able to get it scheduled yet with work,'" Diasio told CNN.

His office has been offering other routine vaccinations, like the flu shot, to family members of patients for years. He says the practice is fairly common among pediatricians nationwide and can provide some protection for babies who are too young to receive the vaccine themselves ...

Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University, says it's no surprise that pediatricians are extending their vaccination efforts beyond their immediate patients.

She says its's a natural progression of their role within the communities they serve. She's seen several families who come in to get vaccinated, with plans to celebrate together afterward. ...

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