It’s a pattern that has experts concerned and could have serious implications for how a coronavirus winter surge could spread through various regions of the state.
In San Francisco, 30% of 5- to 11-year-olds have received one shot since the vaccination was authorized for the age group three weeks ago. In Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, the figure is 28%, and in Marin County, once a hotbed of antivaccination sentiment, it’s an astonishing 46%, according to a Times analysis of state data.
“There will be a winter surge,” said UC San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford. “What I worry about most is the Central Valley, in more rural California, where vaccination rates are lower than they are in other parts of the state and are currently having high levels of transmission.” In a diverse area like L.A. County, there will likely be areas with varying rates of COVID-19 vaccinations, said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.Scientists say vaccinating kids should not only slow coronavirus spread but also help prevent dangerous variants from emerging.
“They are much worse positioned going into the winter and holiday seasons because of their relatively lower vaccination coverage rates — not only in 5- to 11-year-olds, but in all age groups,” Kim-Farley said. Some physicians also worry about possible long-term consequences of COVID in children, such as higher rates of depression or anxiety, difficulty concentrating in school or long-term headaches. Children also have a rare risk of developing a multisystem inflammatory syndrome related to COVID-19 that can result in serious illness and death.
L.A. County officials are concerned that Black and Latino 5- to 11-year-olds and those from lower-income households have been less likely to get vaccinated.
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