Little Silver Medicine has taken numerous steps to protect our patients and colleagues from COVID-19. These steps, including the cancellation of all elective visits, have worked to keep us all safe.
Since the shutdown, we have received calls from parents worried that their child may fall behind on immunizations. Below are some of the frequently asked questions. If you have others, please feel free to call us.
With the protocols we have in place, we are also ready to re-open the office for infant and toddler vaccinations and well visits. Please note and follow the guidelines we have in place to keep all our patients safe during this difficult time.
My child missed the last vaccine visit due to the COVID-19 lock down. Is it okay to give the shots now?
For most vaccines, it is never too late to catch up on missed shots and protect your child. Children who missed their first shots at 2 months of age can start a few weeks later to get up to date on their immunizations. Rotavirus is the only vaccine which is no longer beneficial if delayed too long.
Rotavirus: First dose is usually given at 8 weeks. If a child misses one of the vaccinations, the first one can be given a month later, at 12 weeks, and the second dose a month later, at 16 weeks. The rotavirus vaccination is only suitable for young babies. The first dose cannot be given any later than 15 weeks and the second dose no later than 24 weeks. The maximum age for the last dose of rotavirus vaccine is 8 months and 0 days.
Can my child receive more that 2 vaccines during one visit to catch up?
Yes, usually it is safe to give more than 2 vaccines during one visit.
Will receiving vaccines now make my child more or less susceptible to COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a new disease – one that we are learning more about each day. Vaccines are meant to protect your baby from preventable diseases. You may want to think of vaccines as a work-out for a baby’s immune system – getting it trained to fight off other infections.
Is it safe to bring my child to your office?
With the safety of our entire community in mind, we have taken numerous steps, escalating by the day, to protect our patients and our colleagues from COVID-19. Check out our post, COVID-19 Safety Procedures, for complete details. Please follow the guidelines we have provided to help keep everyone safe.