#Ad Greetings from Denmark! I’m writing this post while visiting Paul’s family, whom we haven’t seen in nearly three years because of COVID-19. When this is published I will have returned, but if you didn’t catch it, I shared our experience over on Instagram (you can see more in my highlights!).
During our trip, I’ve received a lot of questions about how safe we’ve felt with regards to COVID while traveling so I thought I’d share what we’re experiencing along with some thoughts I’ve prepared about vaccinations in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Of course, by the time this is published things may have changed completely–it surely keeps us on our toes! in any case, safe travels to you, but here’s more!
Safe travels to Denmark
First off, we knew that Denmark has a high vaccination rate (nearly 80%) so we felt more comfortable going. Paul and I are vaccinated and have both received boosters so we felt as secure as we can entering a country. Here, you are required to wear a mask inside all public places and are required to show proof of vaccination to sit down at all eating establishments and public places. We have felt very safe and have done our part to ensure that others feel safe as well.
We can do this
Speaking of doing our part, I’m happy to take part in the We Can Do This campaign to speak up about the things that we can do to protect ourselves and our communities from the ongoing spread of COVID-19, especially our children, who are now at risk. While both of my boys are too young to receive the vaccinations (at this point you must be 5 and older), I’m encouraged by the ongoing research that helps me make informed decisions to maintain healthy families.
COVID risks for children
We are all parents who care about our children. We all have questions and want what’s best for our families. All questions are valid and important. The process of getting your questions answered is important. My goal today is to present correct information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will help you make the best decision for your family. Here are some things I’ve been researching for parents of 5-year-olds to 17-year-olds:
- COVID is a greater threat to your child than any potential risk from side effects of the vaccine.
- There is no way to know how COVID will affect your child, but clinical trials showed vaccines help prevent severe illness and death from COVID.
- Since August, 1 in 5 new COVID cases have been in kids, but vaccines can bring that number down and help protect children from severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID.
Vaccinations for children to stay safe
I love having the peace of mind knowing that I’m protecting my child with the most effective tool we have. Here’s a few more points that I’ve been learning with regards to the vaccine and COVID for children:
- COVID vaccines for kids 5+ offer the same effective protection that hundreds of millions of American adults have from COVID vaccines.
- COVID vaccines are safe and are given to kids 5-11 in smaller doses that have been specially tailored for younger children. Adolescents ages 12 years and older receive the same dosage of the COVID vaccine as adults.
- In clinical trials, children had the same kinds of temporary side effects from COVID vaccines that adults have, such as pain at the injection site, tiredness, or headache.
It’s nice having these succinct points so nice and tidy, but if you have questions, please consult with your doctor. You can also find more information on vaccines.gov.
I know it’s a long haul at this point, but any amount of protection we can offer to our children and those who are more susceptible to diseases is worth it.
Let’s do this together and then go on another epic trip after. Who’s with me?! Where should we go??? #WeCanDoThis
Want to see more?
If you’re interested in seeing more of Denmark, you can check out my Copenhagen travel guide here.
And remember this epic trip in Denmark?!Â
This post is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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