Last week a Garland mother received a call from a city official who informed her that her 6-year-old son had been given an adult-dosage COVID-19 vaccine.
The boy was vaccinated at a clinic run by the Garland Health Department at a Halloween event, according to a report by NBC 5. According to the boy’s father, Julian Gonzalez, the family was at the clinic when one of the workers said they had the children’s vaccine available.
Gonzalez said that the clinic workers gave him a signup form with an option to choose the vaccine for the child. “It just seemed like everything was prepared and ready for that,” he said.
The family went home thinking their son got the correct vaccine, only to be told on Monday that the vaccine given to the child wasn’t appropriate for his age.
According to NBC 5, Gonzalez’s son is one of two Garland kids who received the adult vaccine dose. The other child, whose identity was not disclosed, is a 7-year-old.
Gonzalez told the station he was angry at the situation, saying that his son had been experiencing arm pain after getting the vaccine. He also said his son experienced other symptoms, including headache, mild fever, and low energy.
While Plano-based pediatrician Dr. Marcial Oquendo said that the children would likely be fine, Gonzalez still thinks the issue should be dealt with appropriately.
“We may come out OK from this, but what if it happens somewhere else and someone is not as lucky?” he asked.
In a bid to protect the children ahead of Halloween, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the administering of children’s doses of the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine for emergency use on Friday, October 29, for children between the ages of 5 to 11.
A Garland spokesperson, Dorothy White, said in a statement that the incident is under investigation. White also said that city officials are in contact with the parents of the children involved.
