Vaccine Team

Reinfection is the main concern for the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron. BA.5 can avoid vaccines but also immunities from past infections. Studies show people who have had COVID-19 twice are at a higher risk for complications and hospitalization.

Health officials said the best protection against severe illness is vaccines and booster shots.

The doses for this age group are much smaller than those for other age groups.

Only about 4% of N.C. children 5 to 11 years old are fully vaccinated, and of those about 5% have gotten a booster.

While the booster is now available, the number of children in North Carolina getting the vaccine is still pretty low.

The first vaccine in the study was administered Monday to 2-year-old patient Arvind Jaffa.