COVID‑19 Vaccines Cut Emergency Room Visits Among Children, CDC Reports

Marked decline in urgent‑care use within six months of vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new data showing that COVID‑19 immunization dramatically lowers the likelihood that children will need emergency or urgent‑care services shortly after receiving the shot.

Children under four years old experienced a 76 % reduction in the risk of an ER or urgent‑care visit during the first six months post‑vaccination. For kids aged 5 to 17, the risk fell by 56 % over the same period.

These findings underscore the broader protective benefits of vaccination beyond preventing infection, highlighting how immunization can also reduce the burden on families and the healthcare system.

“Vaccines not only keep kids from getting sick, they also keep them out of the hospital,” a CDC spokesperson noted, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates among younger populations.