Five Things for Parents to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine in Kids

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids ages 5 - 11. Since many parents will have questions about getting their child vaccinated, the American Lung Association is providing trusted information about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids. 

“After today’s announcement, approximately 28 million additional Americans will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which is an opportunity to gain ground on national vaccination rates to save lives and help end the pandemic. Parents across the U.S. may have questions and concerns and are seeking information about the COVID-19 vaccine to make a decision for their children,” said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. “The American Lung Association is here to provide this trusted science-based information. We are very encouraged by this announcement as it will protect our children from COVID-19 and allow them to more freely return to their daily activities.”

The Lung Association offers five key things that parents should know about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids:

1. Getting Vaccinated Will Keep Them Healthy: The best way to prevent infection from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated against the disease, and if they get infected, it reduces the chances of severe illness and hospitalization. Data from the CDC concluded that kids ages 5 to 11 years old who received the pediatric dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine showed good immune responses to the disease.
2. The Vaccine Will Help Kids Get Back to Their Favorite Activities: For almost two years, many children were not able to participate in their favorite activities and getting vaccinated means they can get back to sports, theatre, camps and more. Since these activities involve many children gathering, vaccinations are key to prevent outbreaks and reduce the need for quarantine if one child is infected. 
3. It Protects Family, Friends and Teachers: Getting your child vaccinated not only keeps them healthy, but also protects their friends, family, school staff, teachers and anyone else that they are around who may be immunocompromised or at risk for severe symptoms of COVID-19.
4. It Sets a Positive Example for Others: Kids are very influential in the family and in their communities. When a child gets vaccinated, it sets a positive example for other children, parents and adults in their lives. Parents who are vocal about vaccinating their kids can also positively influence other families.
5. The COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe and will effectively protect kids in preventing serious disease and death. The emergency use authorization does not mean that corners were cut; the FDA actually required additional participants in clinical trials to ensure safety. This was an extensive standard review process that was expedited, reviewing a large amount of data on the safety of study participants, and ensuring data quality and integrity from vaccine manufacturers. All proper procedures were followed, but the administrative processes were expedited in the context of a public health emergency.

The Lung Association recommends all Americans get the COVID-19 vaccine and a booster when they’re eligible. In addition, the public should continue to rigorously follow the CDC recommendations to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19 by wearing a mask according to CDC guidelines, maintaining social distancing, washing your hands often, and staying home if you feel unwell.

The Lung Association focuses on educating the public with the most up to date science-based COVID-19 information, investing in research through our COVID-19 Action Initiative and supporting people who have long COVID through our new online support community. 

More information about COVID-19 can be found at Lung.org/covid19 or the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA. For journalists seeking to schedule a media interview with a lung health expert on COVID-19, contact Jill Dale at the American Lung Association at 312-940-7001 or [email protected].