Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use on children ages 12-15, many parents are wondering if they should vaccinate their children against the disease.

Cindy Williams, Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer for Riverside Health System, said that the vaccine is very safe and effective for those age 12-15 years. In fact, there have been no reported cases of severe reactions to the vaccine in this age group.

“We are still seeing cases in children and adolescents,” said Williams.

Most importantly, Williams said that children and adolescents are still susceptible to COVID-19 and make up more than 20 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the United States.

Also, cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome have been linked to COVID-19 in younger people and have been shown to be more severe in adolescents than in younger children.

Williams said that the Pfizer vaccine has a good safety profile for those aged 12-15 a...