LANSING, Mich. — The Food and Drug Administration approved a children’s vaccine in December of 2018 that will protect children from six diseases.
The vaccine, ‘Vaxelis,’ will start showing up at Pediatric offices in 2020.
Vaxelis is designed for children between six weeks and four years old and it aims at protecting children from contracting Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), Hepatitis B and HIB (Haemphilia Influenza Type B). HIB is an invasive disease caused by the bacteria in Haemophilia Influenza Type B.
Right now, children get three shots to protect them from those diseases, while Vaxelis will be one shot.
"You're getting vaccinated sooner and more effectively at a younger age and hopefully it will be more widely available to everyone, and you're not going to miss vaccines when you have multiple different shots,” said Dr. Brian Temple, a Pediatrician, in an interview. “There are errors so it's nice to have it all in one."
Vaxelis will cover six of the 14 preventable diseases the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children should be vaccinated from and it will require a series of three doses.
Temple says the hope is that fewer shots will result in less tears for children. If parents have concerns or questions about the new vaccine they’re encouraged to talk to their child’s pediatrician.
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