CHARLOTTE, N.C. — StarMed Healthcare is asking for more parents to sign up their kids for an ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trial.
The provider that's been crucial in the fight to prevent COVID-19 with vaccination efforts is part of Moderna's KidCOVE study. The trial will see how safe and effective the vaccine would be for kids between six months old and 11 years old.
StarMed opened about 400 slots to the trial. A majority of them have been filled, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arin Piramzadian said.
"While we don't have the full results, we do know that the kids that we've taken care of (vaccinated in the trial) have not had a single issue," Piramzadian said.
However, StarMed needs between 50 to 60 more kids between six months old and two years old to take part in the trial.
'Kids are the ones that are spreading it significantly," Piramzadian said as he explained the importance of getting children vaccinated to put a stop to the pandemic.
Some parents are on board to get their kids vaccinated when they are eligible. Hundreds have already gotten their child involved in the trial in hopes of doing their part to see if the vaccine gets final approval for kids.
But others are still skeptical to use their children in trials for the vaccine.
"That's definitely a no," said Paris Moore, a father of two. "I'll be monitoring to see what happens to the kids that did take it."
Shashvat Thakor, a father of a young child, said he's for the vaccine.
"Everyone should get vaccinated," he said.
But he's not sure if he'd like his child to be a part of the trial, although he will trust the science when it's deemed safe for his son to get the shot.
"If it was me, I would have gone. I would have gone for the trial, but for the kid -- I would wait," Thakor said.
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Dr. Piramzadian said more parents need to get their kids involved in the trial, saying if his own child was eligible he'd sign him up.
"Once Moderna releases all their information, it's going to show that it's a very safe and effective way of preventing COVID," he added.
If your child is in the correct age range and you're interested in signing up, click here to fill out an application.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.