Parents react to newly approved COVID vaccines for young children

(ABC 6 News) – Covid-19 vaccines for children as young as six months are eligible for the vaccine, leaving mixed emotions among local parents.

"It is a parent’s choice, but I am all for it and I hope my daughters choose to have my granddaughters vaccinated as soon as possible," says grandparent of four, John Gronner.

Another local parent echoed the same positive attitude. "This is a really vulnerable population and it’s also a population that has a lot of exposure with daycares and playdates. So I was really happy to hear it finally got approved," Caroline Kimbrough said.

Some parents, however, think this is too early and the kids might be too young.

"It’s a hard decision to make as a parent for sure," Michelle Liu said.

Liu’s son, Luke, is starting preschool soon. She says this is why she has considered getting him vaccinated in the coming months but is still unsure as to what she will do.

"It’s like a debate that my husband and I are having. I know it’s safe cause we’ve personally had the vaccines but I don’t know if it’s necessary for him to have it," Liu said.

Mayo Clinic doctors are recommending the shots to eligible kids and say there has been a lot of research to back up the recommendation.

"The FDA and other regulatory agencies do a very deep dive into the safety data and that’s why you typically see a rollout of a vaccine in several stages. Healthy adults can get it, and then they drop the age range a little bit. And they check to make sure it’s safe, and they drop it again," Dr. Richard Kennedy from the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group said.

Overall, Liu as well as other parents say that everyone should respect each other’s decisions and we should do what’s best for our kids.

"I think I am ready to get her vaccinated, once all of the practical details get rolled out like where I can get them and how soon," Kimbrough said.

18 million kids will be eligible nationwide for the vaccine.