The week's best parenting advice: July 20, 2021

Vaccinating under-12s, the pros and cons of the SNOO, and more

Vaccination.
(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock)

1. Vaccinating the youngest among us

The Food and Drug Administration says children under the age of 12 may be offered COVID-19 vaccines as soon as this winter, according to NBC News. With the Delta variant spreading rapidly in the U.S., it makes sense that many parents of young children are anxious to vaccinate their little ones as soon as possible. But it's important to note that trials for both Moderna and Pfizer's shots for under-12s won't be finished until the fall, NBC notes. Plus, the FDA wants to see four to six months of follow-up data to ensure they're safe. "I can't imagine ... that we're going to have too much data before the late fall," says Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric researcher involved in Moderna's trials. Results for kids under age 5 will likely take even longer. "There is still a lot of work left to be done," Creech says.

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.