Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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Persistence paid off for the Swenson family when Olivia, 2, finally got her COVID booster shot at a metro clinic on Wednesday.
Keeping little ones like her up-to-date on vaccinations for COVID and other infectious diseases is responsible parenting, especially with the Minneapolis family recently welcoming a newborn daughter. But finding the shot was surprisingly challenging — a reality that parents should be ready to navigate and the state's health care systems should remedy.
Federal health officials cleared an updated COVID booster earlier this month for ages 6 months and older. But when Olivia's dad, Matt Swenson, sought to book an appointment for her he ran into headwinds.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance calls for "homologous" vaccinations for kids Olivia's age. Translation: If a child this age already received the Pfizer shots, as she did, ideally the booster should be Pfizer as well.
But the Swensons' regular provider only had the Moderna pediatric booster. The same held true at many other Twin Cities clinics. Adding to the difficulty: Pharmacies often don't vaccinate very young children.
After working the phones, Swenson found the Pfizer pediatric vaccine at an M Health Fairview clinic. A photo of a sweetly smiling Olivia in a lavender hoodie adorned with an "I got my shot" sticker marked the occasion.