March 30, 2022 – Physician leaders of the Palm Beach County Medical Society (PBCMS) board of directors are recommending children over the age of five receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
PBCMS president, Dr. Claudia Mason, said, “Our organization recognizes the vaccine to be extremely safe and efficacious in both prevention of acquiring the disease and development of severe disease or hospitalization, as well as a requisite public health component to decrease disease transmission and end the current pandemic.
Dr. Stuart Bagatell, chairman of the PBCMS Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, added, “We support the science behind the recommendation to vaccinate children over the age of five for the COVID-19 virus. Our position is in alignment with many highly reputable organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics.”
At the beginning of November 2021, a COVID-19 vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer) for children ages 5–11 years was granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and subsequently recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to the CDC.
“It is important for the public to be reminded that vaccines have been safely and successfully administered to immunize children against harmful and deadly diseases for decades. As physicians, we are compelled to dispel misinformation when necessary and uphold the tenets of public health and safety,” concluded Dr. Mason.
The Palm Beach County Medical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing and maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards of the medical profession and collaborating with others to improve the community’s health. For more information, visit www.pbcms.org.
