By Karen Kier, Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

The idiom “to be in the same boat” can mean we are all in the same situation or we are facing the same challenges. This could certainly apply to the last two years with COVID-19. This idiom reminded me of the current country music song by the Zac Brown Band called the Same Boat. The song was released on June 11, 2021 and can still be heard on the radio. One of the lines in the song is “We’re all in the same boat.” In an interview with Rolling Stones magazine, Zac Brown indicated that the band was trying to send a message with this song. The band was hoping for an “upbeat plea for peace and coexistence.” The song was meant to remind people to have a positive attitude, show empathy and be good to one another. The world could do with a reminder about being in the same boat. COVID-19 has been a global issue and remains a top priority for the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

However, when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine availability, we are not all in the same boat. The February 11, 2022, Global Economic Prospects Report continues to highlight the global inequality related to vaccine distribution and administration. Low-income countries have less than 10% of their population who have received at least one dose of vaccine compared to high-income countries that have an average vaccine rate of 80%. The middle-income countries that represent five billion people worldwide have a very uneven picture of vaccinations. In addition to the global inequality, another group not in the same boat are children under 5 years of age. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines have received FDA approval for the ages of 16 years and up, while the FDA has given emergency use authorization (EUA) to Pfizer for children 5 to 15 years of age.  Pfizer has also received EUA for booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for those 12 years and older.  

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has had a significant impact on childhood COVID-19 cases in the United States. In a March 18, 2022 report by the CDC, children aged 0-4 years were hospitalized with the Omicron variant at a rate five times higher than the peak with the Delta variant. Infants less than 6 months of age had the highest rate of hospitalization among this group. This peak in hospital rates for young children was the highest on record since the CDC started collecting data in February 2020.  As restrictions are lifted and as we resume normality, have we forgotten our most vulnerable population?

The COVID-19 vaccine studies are continuing in this vulnerable population including those 6 months and older. Moderna plans to provide evidence to the FDA for the safe use of COVID-19 in those children 6 years of age and older. The Moderna COVE study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in December, 2021 evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the mRNA vaccine in the 12-17-year-old age group. The KidCOVE study is evaluating the Moderna mRNA vaccine in three age groups. The groups include 6 months to less than 2 years, 2 years to less than 6 years, and 6 years to less than 12 years. The predominant variant during the KidCOVE study was Omicron. The children get a smaller dose of the vaccine for both the first and second shots. The study compared the mRNA vaccines to a placebo (no vaccine) shot.  The response in children after two doses against Omicron has been similar to adults after two doses. Extension studies are being done in children to assess a third booster dose. Pfizer plans to complete a study in April, 2022 that evaluates a three dose mRNA vaccine series in children ages 6 months to 4 years old and submit results to the FDA.  

Vaccine rates in the United States vary significantly by state. First dose COVID-19 vaccine rates can vary from 15 to 65%. As of March, 2022, about 27% of the US population for the 5-11-year old age group had received the mRNA vaccine. This age group is the lowest vaccinated segment in Ohio as well. As of March 24, 2022, Ohio statistics showed that the 5- to 11-year-old age group has a vaccination rate of 25.61%, while the 12–17-year-old age group has a vaccination rate of 48.86%.   

Unfortunately, we are all not in the same boat.  

Feel free to call the ONU HealthWise Pharmacy for the science on COVID-19. ONU HealthWise is offering COVID-19 and flu vaccines Monday through Friday from 4 pm to 6 pm. Call the pharmacy for an appointment for other time slots. The ONU HealthWise pharmacy offers Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen and flu shots and high-dose flu vaccines. Pediatric Pfizer vaccines (5 to 11-years) are available by appointment through the state Vaccine Management Solution (VMS) system.  Call the pharmacy to get more information.  

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
419-772-3784
www.onuhealthwisepharmacy.com