A significant number of parents who do not plan to vaccinate their 5-11-year-olds should the Pfizer vaccine be authorized in the age group threaten to further complicate the future of the pandemic.
The U.S. is on the cusp of allowing about 28 million children ages 5-11 to get vaccinated against COVID-19, opening up the potential to significantly expand vaccination coverage and drive down transmission in schools and communities.
But there is another possibility – one that history makes a strong case in favor of: the likelihood that a notable fraction of parents won’t allow their children to get the shots, further complicating the future of the pandemic.
This article originally appeared at U.S. News & World Report.