Parents are hesitant to vaccinate children, but pediatricians might be the key - CNN

However, 70% of parents with children ages 3 to 11 and 50% of parents with children ages 12 to 18 have not discussed the Covid-19 vaccine with their pediatrician, according to a new report.

To get more kids vaccinated, pediatricians must be more proactive in discussing Covid-19 vaccines with parents and addressing their legitimate concerns, said Sarah Clark, codirector of the C.S.

For parents with children ages 12 to 18, 39% said their child already got a Covid-19 vaccine, and 21% said they will likely vaccinate their child, the report found.

Another 40% said that it's unlikely they will vaccinate their child.

For parents of children in the younger age group, 49% said they will likely vaccinate their child against Covid-19 once approved for children under age 12, while 51% said they likely will not.

Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center at the University of Michigan.

When the pandemic hit last year, routine checkups and appointments were largely put on hold, she said, so contact between parents and health care providers dropped off.

"That's where relying on your familiar child health provider is going to be really important."

The big takeaway is that pediatricians have a responsibility to reach the parents who are hesitant, Clark emphasized.

Hesitant parents have real questions and concerns, Clark said, and they need to feel comfortable bringing those concerns to their pediatricians and family physicians without feeling judged or labeled "anti-vaxxers." The key is for information to come from trusted people who have cared for these families for a long time, she said.

"It is completely understandable that parents may have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children and teens, especially given the amount of misinformation on social media," said Dr.