What are the key pediatric public policy priorities as the COVID-19 pandemic persists?

ImpactThe COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and its impact is just beginning to be felt on children.COVID-19 vaccines protect both the pregnant patient and newborns, and breastfeeding provides a key component of passive protective immunity.Long COVID has contributed to the current crisis in pediatric mental health, and vaccines confer protection against this long-term complication of COVID-19 disease.Vaccine misinformation is not only impacting compliance with maternal and pediatric COVID-19 immunization efforts, but also other routine childhood vaccinations.As a public health priority, we must improve our response to vaccine misinformation and find novel strategies to improve vaccine compliance.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic is starting to impact children, and the vaccines provide protection for both pregnant patients and newborns, while breastfeeding plays a crucial role in passive protective immunity. Long COVID has contributed to a crisis in pediatric mental health, and vaccines offer protection against this long-term complication. Vaccine misinformation not only affects compliance with maternal and pediatric COVID-19 immunization efforts, but also routine childhood vaccinations. As a public health priority, it is important to improve the response to vaccine misinformation and find innovative strategies to enhance vaccine compliance.