PHOENIX (3TV / CBS 5) – Dr. Gary Kirkilas has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 since the pandemic began. But last week the virus hit near the house. All four of his children, ages 7, 4, 2, and 2 months, all tested positive for COVID-19. “We were absolutely terrified,” says Kirkilas, a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He says all four of his children had a fever that developed into a cough. “The Delta variant is very contagious and when one child has it, it is very easy for the next child to have it.” Kirkilas says he feels blessed that all of his children are feeling better now, even though the week was tough, he knows it could have been worse. “I cannot imagine that my wife and I also had COVID and then have to take care of the children.” Kirkilas credits the vaccine for staying COVID-free and says it is great that the vaccine could soon be available to children ages five and up. Today health experts say the vaccine could be available to children ages 5-11 by Halloween. Young children could get a shot against the Pfizer vaccine by Halloween. “As a mother and a pediatrician, I would recommend this vaccine to my own children, and I can’t think of anything higher,” says Dr. Anne Maiden-Hope, Associate Chair of Pediatrics at Midwestern University. She says it’s great that the vaccine could be available to school children soon, but she has a warning. “Even if the vaccine was available by Halloween, which would be amazing, it would take about two weeks for your children to be fully protected (Group). All rights reserved.
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