(WXYZ) — It’s back-to-school shopping for parent Elizabeth Pitts and her stepdaughter, and one of the most important items checked off their list is a COVID-19 vaccine.
“The vaccination is still something really important to me,” Pitts said. "My stepdaughters, we had them both vaccinated, and then my son, he’s 3, and we have an appointment for him as well.”
But as the school year begins, the majority of school-aged children remain unvaccinated. According to the state health department, just 27% of kids ages 5-11 are fully vaccinated, and roughly 50% of kids between 12 and 19 are fully vaccinated.
"It is concerning, these kids are going to be at much greater risk of having repeated infections,” said Dr. Molly O'Shea, a pediatrician with Birmingham Pediatrics.
Dr. O’Shea advises families to have their kids vaccinated against COVID even though the risk of severe disease in kids is lower than in adults.
“I would say because the vaccine risk is tiny and because COVID as a disease is still evolving, it makes sense to get this vaccine,” Dr. O'Shea said.
Dr. O'Shea says since the start of the pandemic, many kids have also fallen behind on other vaccinations. She encourages those parents to get their kids up to date.
“Making sure that you get back on track, get totally caught up and your vaccines are to date is an important part on getting off to school on the right foot,” Dr. O'Shea said.
But as the data suggests, many parents still aren’t comfortable with COVID vaccinations.
“Me and my family, we haven't been vaccinated," said parent Tanya Hanson. "It’s not really a concern for me”
At the end of the day, many parents and kids are simply excited to be back to in-person school. However, some are also taking an extra step to keep them there.
“COVID is still a threat," Pitts said. "I still have family members in my family who I am concerned about.”