A COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to 4 years old could be available within the next couple of months. Pfizer announced Tuesday it has applied for emergency use authorization for vaccines in that age bracket. 

Maggie Doherty in Kalispell, Montana, said the COVID shot for her 2-year-old daughter can’t come soon enough. 

“So I’m chomping at the bit,” she said.

Like Doherty, three in 10 families will get their children under 5 vaccinated ASAP, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. 

And every time that the pool of vaccinated people expands, so does economic activity, said Alicia Modestino, an economics and public affairs professor at Northeastern. 

“It’s more likely that we will get on a plane, or we’re more likely to sign up for extracurricular activities,” she said.

Modestino adds that this will be a huge relief for many parents who have spent years now navigating tough decisions about the safety and well being of their kids. 

“It’s just taking the cognitive load off of those parents,” she said.

In Montana, Maggie Doherty is exhausted from omicron disruptions. 

“Because I’m wondering if my kid can actually go to school this week, or one day, this week or half of the week?”

When everyone in her family is fully vaccinated, she said she’ll have a little more peace of mind.