ProMedica’s Advice on Keeping Unvaccinated Kids Safe from COVID-19

Young girl in pigtails stands wearing a mask, hands on hips like a superhero

Photo Credit: ProMedica

As of early August 2021, COVID-19 hospitalizations were trending upward across the United States, including in Ohio where hospitalizations doubled in late July. As the delta variant spreads and drives this increase in hospitalizations and cases, leaders and care teams at ProMedica are urging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine and sharing important information on keeping children healthy.

“What we are seeing now is that this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Brian Kaminski, D.O., vice president of quality and patient safety at ProMedica, told WNWO-TV channel 24, the NBC news affiliate in Toledo, Ohio. Kaminski has been talking with local news outlets to help encourage anyone who has not been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible. That’s because nearly 98% of people hospitalized with the coronavirus are unvaccinated.

Kaminski explained why the delta variant is so contagious: “We used to say it used to take around 15 minutes face-to-face within 6 feet contact with somebody to really put yourself at risk for COVID. What we’re seeing with the delta variant is that’s been reduced to about 12 seconds.”

To address the concerns of families with children under 12 years of age who cannot be vaccinated, ProMedica has a dedicated website page, “Keeping Unvaccinated Kids Safe from COVID-19.” The health system offers helpful information and recommendations for parents of young children, including the risks and benefits for different social scenarios — whether attending public events or visiting grandparents — and vaccine availability for children.

On younger children getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Kaminski advises, “There is reason to be hopeful that we will see emergency use authorization granted for the 5–12 age group in the coming months, so parents should begin considering the vaccination for children in this age group.”

He added, “While it’s understandable that people might be concerned about something so new, the data we have for adults and teens shows the vaccine is safe and highly effective. So, if we see the same data in younger kids, I encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.”

ProMedica also is involved with the VProject, a grassroots community initiative in Toledo and northwest Ohio to slow the spread of COVID-19 and vaccinate 70% of the community. ProMedica CEO Randy Oostra is one of the local leaders featured in a recent VProject video.