Here's how to sign up your child for Stony Brook's Pfizer COVID vaccine study
COMMACK, Long Island (WABC) -- Stony Brook University Hospital is now accepting applications to study Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of 12.
The signup opened Tuesday at Stony Brook Medicine Advanced Specialty Care in Commack, the facility one out of only 100 worldwide to take part in the study.
There will be 4,500 participants in their trial, and the kids will split into three age groups between 6 months and 12 years old.
"Having kids still able to get the infection and pass the infection in the family means you're not protecting everybody," said Dr. Sharon Nachman, with Stony Brook Children's Hospital.
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Each group will get a smaller amount of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine, calculated by Pfizer.
"Why is that important?" Dr. Nachman said. "Because children are wonderfully immune competent. They make a great immune response."
There will also be a two-to-one ratio with a placebo, meaning for every two kids vaccinated, the third will receive the placebo.
Doctors will make appointments over the next two weeks, with researchers looking for children as young as 6 months old to take part in the trial.
The goal is to bring the world's population that much closer to some sort of finish line in the pandemic, but some parents of those under age 12 said they are not sure they're ready to sign up just yet.
"I would think probably the fall, if she can't go into soccer," mom Jessica Glazer said. "It just depends if they make it mandated for school."
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Potential side effects are their biggest concern, but those in the medical community are hoping the benefits far exceed the risks and that the vaccine will be available to all by the end of the year.
"It would be fantastic if we have COVID vaccine available to us going into that season," Dr. Nachman said.
Families who are interested can call the COVID vaccine clinical trial hotline: 631-638-COVI and leave a message with their name, their child's name and date of birth, and a contact number or email CoV_prevention_network@stonybrook.edu.
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