As positive COVID-19 cases continue to trend upward, children and youth with special health care needs may be at increased risk for more severe illness and complications. That begs the questions, should children who need complex care or have serious medical conditions be vaccinated? We asked Dr. Darin Brannan, senior director of Clinical Informatics at The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany, Oklahoma and his resounding answer is: Yes. 

 

We asked Oklahoma parents what concerns they had about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children who are immunocompromised or medically fragile. Click the video below to watch our latest doctor/parent Q&A.

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About Darin Brannan, M.D.

Dr. Brannan was born in Kentucky but he spent the majority of his childhood in Latin America as the son of missionaries. He graduated from Missouri’s Evangel University then moved to El Salvador, where he coordinated medical teams and was involved with humanitarian relief efforts. Dr. Brannan is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed his residency at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Brannan holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology from the University of Oklahoma. He has earned certification in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and is board-certified in Clinical Informatics. 

 

Dr. Brannan is a board-certified pediatrician who has been actively involved in caring for children with complex medical needs in the community for many years. In 2007, he moved from private practice to work full-time at The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany, Oklahoma. He has special interests in nutrition, bone health and informatics.

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