Children Are Susceptible to COVID-19 Too
It is important to remember that anyone, at any age, can get severely ill from COVID-19. In general, children have been less affected by severe COVID-19 disease compared with adults. However, children with health conditions such as asthma or chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes and obesity can be at higher risk for severe illness when compared with children who do not have health conditions. Children who have not been vaccinated are at increased risk for developing one rare, but potentially serious condition associated with COVID-19 is called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).
Find COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters For Your Child Near You
Vaccination Is the Best Protection Against COVID-19 Illness
There are ways to help prevent COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccinations are safe and effective and are the best way to protect your child. Vaccines not only provide protection against COVID-19, but can also help prevent serious illness and hospitalization if your child becomes sick.
Vaccination Recommendations for Children
COVID-19 vaccines are available for ages 6 months and older.
Age | Vaccine | Number of Primary Doses | Booster Eligibility |
6 months to 4 years | Pfizer-BioNTech | 3 | Ages 6 months through 4 years may receive a bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech booster, at least 2 months after their primary series. |
6 months to 4 years | Moderna | 2 | Ages 6 months through 4 years may receive a bivalent Moderna booster, at least 2 months after their primary series. |
5 years and older | Moderna | 2 | Ages 5+ may receive either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, at least 2 months after primary series. |
Age 5 | Pfizer-BioNTech | 2 | Age 5 may receive a bivalent Pfizer booster, at least 8 weeks after primary series. |
6 years and older | Pfizer-BioNTech | 2 | Ages 6+: a bivalent booster, at least 2 months after primary series. |
12 years and older | Novavax | 2 | Ages 12+ may receive a bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna booster, at least 2 months after primary series. |
Frequently Asked Questions about Kids and COVID-19 Vaccination
Additional benefits to COVID-19 Vaccination:
- Keeps your kids in school
- Allows children to fully participant in extracurricular activities
- Less missed workdays due to COVID-19 exposure or infection in your children
- Helps contribute to the decline of COVID-19 cases
- Helps decrease the likelihood for additional variants
Additional Recommended Routine Vaccinations for Children
These vaccines protect against infectious respiratory diseases:
- Influenza – to protect from seasonal flu each year (6 months and older)
- DTaP – for children young than 7 years old to protect against pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria and tetanus
- Tdap – for older children and teens to protect again pertussis (whopping cough), diphtheria and tetanus
- Pneumococcal pneumonia- to protect against the most common type of bacterial pneumonia.
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Page last updated: March 17, 2023