After the authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months and older in June, parents had important vaccine decisions to make on behalf of their children. In a recent blog, the Department of Health (DOH) shared that over 1.5 million U.S. children aged 6 months to 4 years have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since June. With the school year in full swing, many parents are still considering vaccinating their children against COVID-19 but have outstanding questions.
DOH shared a recent blog titled, A Pediatrician Discusses the Science Behind the Vaccine for Young Kids, which features insight from Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, Chief Science Officer at DOH, who also served as a primary care pediatrician before joining the DOH team. The blog explores the following frequently asked questions about vaccinating young children:
- Is the vaccine safe for young children under the age of five?
- What would you say to a parent who fears long-term side effects of the vaccine?
- Are there any potential risk factors from vaccination?
- Would you say it’s still worth it for a child to get vaccinated if case counts are going down?
- You mentioned the research is important for determining the dosage for each age group. How do the doses vary across age groups?
- How far apart should you schedule the doses for your young child?
- How does COVID-19 impact unvaccinated children?
- From what you’ve seen, has the vaccine helped protect kids who received it?
- Thinking about variants, could children be more vulnerable to new variants?
- Should young children who already had COVID-19 still get vaccinated? Is there any natural immunity?
- With kids back in school, parents might be catching up on other vaccines. Does the COVID-19 vaccine need to be scheduled around any routine vaccinations?
- How can parents prepare their child for a positive vaccine experience?
- How can parents find a vaccine appointment for their young child if they don’t have a pediatrician?
- For children who already had the vaccine, when can they get a booster?
For additional resources related to vaccinating children against COVID-19, explore our youth and vaccine folder in Dropbox. Information specific to children aged 6 months to 11 years can be found in this folder.