Vaccines are widely available across the commonwealth at this time and many locations do not require an appointment, making it easy and convenient to get a shot. Penn State continues to strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as soon as they are able to do so, however, there are subsets of the population who have not yet been vaccinated, including children ages 12 and under, and some may wonder if it’s possible to transmit the virus to them, even if vaccinated.
“The evidence is promising, and data suggests that vaccinated people are less likely to transmit the virus – but the risk is still not zero,” said Dr. Patrick Gavigan, pediatric infectious disease physician at Penn State Children’s Hospital. “If you’re in a household with a child or someone unvaccinated, we still recommend that you exercise caution and avoid situations where there are higher chances to get infected.”
Gavigan added that unvaccinated people, including children under 12, should still be diligent about mask-wearing, physical distancing and other precautions.
The latest vaccination information for University community members is available on Penn State’s virus information website.