COVID-19 Vaccines and Kids

COVID-19 Vaccine and Children Frequently Asked Questions

What ages can currently be vaccinated?

Children age 5 and up can currently be vaccinated.

When is my child eligible for a booster?

Children ages 5 and older are eligible for the booster five months after their second dose of the of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Why should my child get a booster?

The vaccine is highly effective, but its effectiveness decreases over time which is why we recommend a booster. The most recent study looked at the efficacy of a third dose of the vaccine in 4,500 children and found a 36-fold increase in antibody levels—specifically antibodies that are active against Omicron. In light of our rising Omicron numbers, this is a necessary tool in the arsenal to fight ongoing covid infections.

The vaccine keeps people out of the hospital. It keeps people from dying. And it’s 97% effective at preventing children from having multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), which is huge. In adults, the vaccine reduces the risk of long-haul covid and it probably does the same in kids. It’s also very safe—the safety data is even better in kids than it is in adults.

If my child had COVID-19 do they still need a booster shot?

The data shows that a natural covid infection does act as a very effective booster. I would still boost my child, especially if it’s been three or more months since their infection, because I would want ongoing protection for my child. There’s a lot of good data that mixing things up—natural infections with boosters—provides high level and longer-lasting protection.

Is it OK to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?

You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a flu vaccine, at the same visit. Experience with other vaccines has shown that the way our bodies develop protection, known as an immune response, and possible side effects after getting vaccinated are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines.

When can children younger than 5 be vaccinated?

Clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine are still being completed for children ages under 5 years old.

What is the benefit of vaccination for children and teens?

COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications and can lead to death in some people, including children. If your child gets COVID-19, they could spread the disease to family, friends and others around them – even if they have no symptoms. If your family, friends and people become infected, they could experience severe medical complications or even die from the disease. Also, it’s not completely understood at this point whether having COVID-19 results in long-term health effects. By vaccinating as many people as possible, this will help with limiting the spread of COVID-19.

How do I know the vaccine is safe for my child?

In clinical trials, all authorized vaccines have been shown to be highly effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Two vaccines authorized for use are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

The vaccines use genetic material called mRNA to teach the body’s immune system to fight the coronavirus. The mRNA in the vaccine activates the body’s immune system but does not change the body’s DNA.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while the Moderna vaccine has FDA emergency use authorization following the FDA’s examination of large clinical trials involving nearly 40,000 participants. The FDA determined these vaccines may be effective in reducing the risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19.

Both vaccines were authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use after examination of large clinical trials involving nearly 40,000 participants, which determined that these vaccines may be effective in preventing COVID-19.

FDA: Frequently asked questions on COVID-19 vaccines

Will the vaccine affect my child’s future fertility?

There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine affects future fertility.

Which vaccine will my child receive?

Adolescents ages 12 years and older receive the same dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as adults. The Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval for those age 16 and older. The Pfizer vaccine has emergency use authorization for children age 12 to 16, and children age 5 to 11 will receive the lower-dose Pfizer pediatric vaccine under emergency use authorization. Smaller needles, designed specifically for children, are used for children ages 5 to 11.

Your child will need a second shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine three weeks after their first shot.

Dosage is based on the child's age on the day of vaccination, not size or weight.

My child has already had COVID-19. Do they still need the vaccine?

Yes. Your child should get the vaccine even if they have already had COVID-19. Even though having had COVID-19 may provide some protection from getting sick again, it is not known how long that protection will last.

Should my child get the COVID-19 vaccine if they are currently sick with COVID-19?

People with COVID-19 can get the vaccine after they are feeling better and meet the criteria to stop isolation. Read the CDC’s guidelines on when you can be around others after having COVID-19.

Talk with your child’s doctor about when your child should receive the vaccine.

Do COVID-19 vaccines protect my child from newly discovered strains of the virus?

The current COVID-19 vaccines do offer protection against the new coronavirus strains. The vaccines work by producing an immune response against the spike protein on the virus’s surface. To date, none of the virus mutations have altered this spike protein, and so the vaccines remain effective. Pfizer recently reported studies that looked at antibodies of people vaccinated and found that these antibodies neutralized the variant viruses.

How many doses will my child need?

The Pfizer vaccine is a two-dose series. The second dose is due 21 days (three weeks) after the first dose. Both doses are needed to achieve maximum protection. A person is considered fully immunized two weeks following the second dose.

Your child should get a second shot as close to the recommended three-week or four-week interval as possible. However, your child's second dose may be given up to six weeks (42 days) after the first dose, if necessary.

Booster shots are available for children age 12 and older. It is recommended that children older than 12 receive a booster shot at least five months after their last shot was received.

How much will the vaccine cost for my child?

UH bills patient insurance for an administration fee to cover costs of administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Insured patients are not responsible for paying this fee.

If you are uninsured, the administration fee is billed to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) program, which is designed to support care for the uninsured during the pandemic. Uninsured patients are not responsible for paying this fee.

There is no billing for the vaccine itself.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccination billing or any billing at UH, please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-859-5906. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What are the risks of teens and young adults developing myocarditis with the COVID-19 vaccination?

In patients with COVID-19, the rate of occurrence of myocarditis is one in 3,000 individuals among those ages 18 to 34. With vaccinated people in the 18 to 34 age group, the instance of myocarditis drops to only one in 33,000. Among women in that age group, the instance is even rarer: one in 250,000. There is a much higher chance of developing myocarditis in unvaccinated individuals who contract the virus than is seen with fully vaccinated people.

Children with COVID-19-associated myocarditis are more likely to be much sicker, be admitted to the intensive care unit and be intubated. Some of these children end up on bypass and life support, while the vaccine-associated myocarditis in children tends to be less severe, with some children being sick for only a few days with little time in the hospital -- often without an intensive care unit visit. Severity of illness between vaccine-associated vs. COVID-19 myocarditis in unvaccinated people is significantly different.

How can I find locations near me that offer COVID-19 vaccines for children?

A new government website can help you find locations near you that offer COVID-19 vaccines for children and adults. The website, COVID.gov, can also help you find locations for COVID-19 testing, medication, masks and lets you order at-home testing kits.