Elmo just got his COVID vaccine and we're so proud of him

As new federal guidelines allow children six months or older to get vaccine, Elmo and his friends on Sesame Street are getting their first vaccine.

The new video PSA shows a post-vaccine discussion between Elmo and his mom. Elmo and his dad discuss how it felt to get vaccine, before the elder Muppet tells viewers about his initial hesitations, and later determination to get Elmo vaccine for the safety of the entire neighborhood. All of us agree that Elmo and family did a great job.

With the goal of empowering parents and caregivers to have active conversations with their children about the vaccine, the spot was developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop, wrote in the video's press release that they wanted to model real conversations, encourage parents' questions, and help children know what to expect.

New vaccine guidelines require that children under the age of 5 get at least one dose of the Moderna vaccine or three of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. The does need to be given four weeks apart. The first two doses must be given three weeks apart and the third dose must be given at least eight weeks after the second dose.

In the US at the beginning of June, just 29 percent of children ages 5 to 11 and 59 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 17 were fully vaccine free. The Ad Council found that 52 percent of parents hadn't made a decision on whether or not their child would be vaccine free.

As the summer ends and the new school year begins, there are distressing figures. GetVaccineAnswers.org is where Sesame Workshop hopes parents can find answers to their vaccine questions. In Spanish, you can see the website and the PSA.

"We know there is tremendous relief that comes with the authorization of these vaccines for kids under 5, but many questions too," wrote Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. It is important for parents to know what the COVID-19 vaccines mean for their family.