This week the big news is the approval by the CDC that follows last weeks recommendation by the FDA to approve vaccines for children aged 5-11 years of age.
The committee weighed up the risks and benefits of the vaccines and while there are still rare side effects, the one most worry about being myocarditis, found more often in younger males, the benefits outweighed the risks. In the rare instances that myocarditis does occur the cases resolve on their own without the need for treatment.
And Fred and I answer the question – why we put out this regular video update, now in its 86th episode? The answer comes down to our desire to share the latest accurate scientific based information and the uncertainties that are part of the learning we are going through with this novel virus. We have been advising some companies and sharing the details as widely as possible has been helpful to many who seek information as they navigate a path through the uncertainty and challenges of Pandemic. Our obligation is to take every opportunity to educate family, friends and business who may not have all the training in science and critical thinking to discern the difference between all the various views and opinions.
We both hope you continue to find it useful and always welcome feedback and questions.
Raw Transcript
Nick van Terheyden
Hi, this is Dr. Nick, I’m incrementalist here with incremental insights for better business, better health.
Fred Goldstein
And this is Fred Goldstein with Accountable Health here helping employers payers and others with their population health improvement programs. So Nick, last week, we briefly touched upon this issue of vaccines for those five to 11. I understand there’s an update,
Nick van Terheyden
well, I in following suit, the Center for Disease Control, the CDC, has followed the FDA guidance, which essentially recommended that children aged five through 11, so that covers now down to the age of five, are now eligible. This is for the Pfizer vaccination, and they’re getting a slightly different dose. So it’s being bundled separately, it’s different to the booster doses different to adult dosing. And interestingly, what I’ve heard through some of the interactions is much of that has been distributed, although I imagine pediatric offices are buried with calls with folks that are pushing to get it. So that’s good news that lowers the age which, with which we can start to protect people, obviously, the committee, like all of us considered the pros and cons, but essentially came out universally in favor of allowing for this vaccine because the the protection even in the small number of cases, and we have seen death in children, let’s not lose sight of that, even with some vaccine side effects. And the myocarditis seems to be the predominant one that’s very rare. And when it does occur, seems to occur slightly more in male children versus female children. But it resolves of its own accord. So benefits vastly outweigh the risks associated with the vaccination. So I
Fred Goldstein
would assume if we can get that group vaccinated at a fairly high level, we can then reduce the risk of transmission, other people who might be more at risk for severe illness.
Nick van Terheyden
Absolutely, it increases the overall numbers, and it also protects that small, or subsets of the community, it expands everything down, we had it for 12. And up, we’ve sort of expanded, there’s now obviously that gap in the newborns through to age five, that’s a much harder group, obviously, both to test and also follow through in terms of safety. Good news around that is that mothers who have been vaccinated, and they are also authorized and should be getting vaccinated, are passing on the immunity through breast milk, it would appear based on some of the studies. So there is some protection that’s being offered to neonates through their mothers if they’ve been vaccinated as well.
Fred Goldstein
That’s fascinating to know. So I know another area we sort of want discuss a little bit is we now at this at six week, I believe, and why do we keep doing this? Nick, what’s there?
Nick van Terheyden
Yeah, I question um, I do ask myself. But I believe my responsibility. As a physician, I trained as a medical doctor, I went to medical school, I practiced medicine. And I have done my best to keep up to date with the latest news science, and to make sure that I understand what’s going on. I’m certainly not one of the primary experts in the community. But I believe that I have a good handle on things. And I’ve been advising people around COVID-19 In this particular instance, I think the reason the main reason we did this, in part for us to sort of have this conversation, but also, I believe that if I can convert just one person to believe that the science is correct, and that they are safe to obtain vaccine and follow the guidance that we’ve got throughout the country, then I’m not just protecting their life, I’m protecting all the downstream potential risks that would have been exposed, had they not been vaccinated and actually got the disease and, you know, potentially their own risk, but also the risk of spreading that to other people. What about you for it?
Fred Goldstein
Yeah, I think it’s one It’s been an intellectual curiosity. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of learning it obviously, it’s part of our consulting work that we’ve done for a number of organizations, and continue to do. And also, as you talked about, it’s, it’s impacting individuals, but also companies, I want companies understand the broad breadth of what it takes right now in a pandemic. And it’s something that as that science changes, we need to obviously update it, update what we understand and recognize that science is an ongoing learning process. There’s going to be something new learn tomorrow, the next day, etc, which may change ultimately how we deal with this pandemic. And I think it’s important for employers to understand this issue and understand some of the resources, it’s it’s an infection, you’ve got issues with air handling, you’ve got issues, potentially with contact, you’ve got issues with your employees coming in the workplace vaccines, treatments, health care costs, all of those. And it really becomes a fairly complex problem, that I think, hopefully, we’ve been able to impart some insights so other individuals and employers can make better decisions for themselves in their companies.
Nick van Terheyden
Yeah, I think you bring up an interesting point. That’s the other area, from my perspective. Prior to this, you know, large organizations would have a health officer of some description. But most small organizations couldn’t afford those kinds of resources. I think that was one of the other areas that we certainly wanted to do is to provide sort of a fractional kind of support infrastructure that was not just clinical, but also, importantly, the population health and the understanding of the statistics around all of this, that, you know, I think every company needs, you know, even in small, you know, single digits, double digit employees. If you’re not understanding this, if you’re relying on Joe down the corridor, who deals with OSHA stuff, I think you’re missing both opportunity, and exposing yourself to enormous risk.
Fred Goldstein
And I think one other thing I just want to add, and we’ve heard this directly, both of us from some of the folks that we do work with, it gives an outside opinion, oftentimes, a group working together will end up getting this group think and being able to have a third party that they can kind of turn to that’s independent from some of the culture etc, can help them better think through these issues. And hopefully, we’ll be able to get some of that across as well. So with that, another fantastic week, Nick, thanks so much. Yeah, this is Fred Goldstein with Accountable Health. If you’d like more information, please go to our website Accountable Health llc.com
Nick van Terheyden
And this is Dr. Nick, I’m the incrementalist here with incremental insights for better business, better health.
