COVID-19 Vaccine for Children & Teens

As COVID-19 continues to spread, vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness in people of all ages, including children. Based on available data, our health care providers and pediatricians at Cook Children’s strongly recommend that parents get children vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.

With the approval of the vaccine for children 6 months and up, you may have questions about this new vaccine, and we understand that. We want to answer questions, help dispel some of the myths, and address common concerns to help you make an informed decision about vaccinating your child.

Dr. Wilfred Raine | Protecting Kids Ages 5-11 with COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine approved for 6 months and up

In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration cleared the way for children 6 months of age and older to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Our health care providers and pediatricians at Cook Children's strongly recommend that parents get their children vaccinated. Vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness in people of all ages, including children.

Moderna's vaccine, for children 6 months through 5 years old, is two shots spaced one month apart.
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, for children 6 months through 4 years old, is three shots over the course of 11 weeks.

What's the difference in the doses for this age group compared to older children and adults?

The dose for children under 5 is much lower than what's authorized for older kids and adults. Pfizer has been testing 3 microgram doses for this age group while kids 5-11, have been authorized to receive 10 microgram doses. The dose for 12 and up (including adults) is 30 micrograms.

How do we know it’s safe for children 5 and under?

Despite the name "Operation Warp Speed" the process to investigate and certify the vaccine did not cut any corners. Throughout the vaccine development process, researchers had to follow the same procedures and regulations as if they were developing a new medicine for headaches or blood pressure.

In addition, both the Pfizer and Moderna studies have increased their sample sizes throughout the process to make sure that side effects or reactions are not being missed. Participants in the study were closely monitored.

What are the side effects in children from the vaccine?

A very concerning side effect that we saw in young men was myocarditis. However, only four cases in every 1 million vaccines in children 5 – 11 years old were seen.

We're still waiting for the FDA to release their findings, but studies have proven that COVID-19 infection is more likely to cause myocarditis than Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Many viruses, including the common cold, can cause myocarditis, which is the inflammation of the heart muscle. Most cases, especially in children, are mild. The risk of complications from COVID-19 infection far outweighs the risk of myocarditis from the vaccine.

Protecting our community

Protecting kids with COVID-19 vaccines protects us all. Understand why it's important to get children vaccinated against COVID.

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Dr. Jason Terk's conversation with a patient

Dr. Bianka Soria-Olmos comparte por qué es importante vacunar a sus hijos contra el COVID

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Why Dr. Sandra Peak believes in the COVID vaccine for kids

Find out why Dr. Tamara Hayward is excited about vaccines for kids 5 and up

Dr. Bradley Mercer tells why the COVID vaccine is the first step and bringing us all together

Helping your child prepare for a vaccination visit

For some children, getting a shot can be scary. To make your vaccine visit more comfortable, open or download these handy Comfort Menu tips and review the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccination fact sheet BEFORE your scheduled appointment.

Tips to help your child

Find a vaccine near you

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID vaccines are approved for children ages 6 months and up. If your child is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, please contact your local pediatrician office to schedule an appointment.

The COVID-19 vaccine is also available at many local pharmacies and in supporting locations across Tarrant County. Use the Tarrant County COVID-19 Vaccine Finder (tarrantcounty.com) to find a location that's convenient for you.

Texas Health and Human Services offers many sites to help you find a vaccine near you. Click the options below to find a vaccine for you and your family:

National Vaccine Finder: Use vaccines.gov to find a location near you, then call or visit the location's website to make an appointment.
Retail Pharmacies List: Check your local pharmacy's website to see if vaccine appointments are available. To find out which pharmacies are participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, click here.
Find Vaccines By Phone: Do you know someone who is eligible for a vaccine but doesn't have internet access, Please let them know they can call (833) 832-7067 for referral to a local vaccine provider.
Americans can also text their ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) in English or VACUNA (822862) in Spanish to immediately receive address of nearby available vaccination centers.

Definitions

Antibodies: Blood proteins produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen.
Antigen: A toxin or other foreign substance which generates an immune response in the body, especially the making of antibodies.
Appendicitis: An inflammation of the appendix, which is a small tube leading off from the intestine.
Lymph: A colorless fluid containing white blood cells, which covers the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream.
Lymph nodes: A number of small swellings in the lymphatic system where lymph is filtered and lymphocytes are formed.
Placebo: A harmless pill or injection given during a clinical trial that may affect the mental and emotional state of a person but not the physical body.

Referenced source: Merriam-Webster

Frequently Asked Questions

Parents may be wondering if they should get their children vaccinated. Vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness in people of all ages, including children.

Vaccinating against COVID is what will continue to allow everyone to return to a more normal life.

People who are fully vaccinated are significantly less likely to spread COVID-19 because of their smaller viral load, which means a lower risk of transmission to others.

COVID vaccines also help prevent MIS-C, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. MIS-C is a potentially very serious complication that we see four to six weeks after a COVID infection or exposure. Out of a large cohort of 21 million vaccinated young adults, only 21 children developed MIS-C after COVID vaccination. This tells us that not only can a COVID vaccine prevent severe illness from an acute infection, but it can also prevent some of the more serious complications following COVID exposure.

Additionally, someone who is vaccinated against COVID, even if they are exposed and test positive for COVID, is at a significantly decreased risk for complications such as ICU admissions, the need for life support and death.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that is currently available for children is approved by the FDA for “emergency use authorization,” or EUA.

The FDA can issue EUA for medications and vaccines during a public health emergency. EUA is
considered when:

There are no adequate, approved medications available to address the emergency
The medications or vaccines granted EUA can treat, diagnose or prevent serious illness

Vaccines with EUA are rigorously tested to make sure they are safe and effective. Over 118,000
adults participated in clinical trials for the three vaccines available:

Pfizer/BioNTech: 43,000
Johnson & Johnson: 45,000
Moderna: 30,000

Manufacturers also enrolled thousands of children and teens in the current trials for vaccine authorization in younger age groups.

The FDA usually wants to look at one year of data when it decides whether to approve a vaccine. They wait this long because they want to observe the people in the trials to check for adverse reactions. Most vaccines never need EUA because they go straight to the approval stage after collecting at least one year of data.

However, during the COVID-19 public health emergency there was a significant benefit to the public to have a vaccine available sooner. EUA made it possible to offer vaccines without waiting for a full year of observation.

On August 23, 2021, the FDA issued full approval for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for people aged 16 and older.

On November 1, 2021, the FDA issued full approval for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for people aged 5-11.

Whenever a vaccine or other medication comes to market, it is natural for parents to be concerned and cautious about giving it to children. There is also a lot of confusion and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines. We want to provide you reliable information so you can make the best decisions for you and your child.

The timeline for developing the COVID-19 vaccine was much faster than a typical vaccine, which can sometimes take several years. To have a new vaccine in less than a year is very quick compared to other examples of vaccine development. But that does not mean that the COVID-19 vaccine was rushed or is not safe.

There are several reasons manufacturers could bring this vaccine to market so quickly:

COVID-19 was new, but the virus that causes it is part of a family of well-known coronaviruses that scientists have studied for many years.
For more than three decades scientists have studied mRNA vaccine technology for diseases like flu, Zika and rabies.
Public interest and national attention helped researchers enroll thousands of people for clinical trials quickly. This step usually takes much longer.
The U.S. government set up manufacturing and distribution channels while clinical trials were underway to speed up production once a vaccine was available.

There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information about two separate studies related to fertility and COVID-19 vaccines. In the studies:

4,800 women had a positive pregnancy test after receiving the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
More than 1,000 women became pregnant after getting both doses of an mRNA vaccine, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Health care professionals have administered more than 391 million vaccine doses in the U.S. so far, with over 185 million people fully vaccinated. There is no evidence of any added risk of infertility for men or women after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

As with all vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine does have some reported side effects, including myocarditis or pericarditis (heart inflammation). Males aged 16 to 30 are at the highest risk of experiencing this side effect.

More than 11 million adolescents have been fully vaccinated. The CDC reports that for every million doses given, there have been 67 cases of heart inflammation in boys 12 to 17 and 56 in those aged 18 to 24. Overall, the risk is very low compared to the benefit of protecting against the effects of COVID-19.

Talk to your child’s doctor about the risks of heart inflammation. Common symptoms include:

Chest pain
Heart fluttering or beating very fast
Shortness of breath

Symptoms most often occur within seven days of receiving the second vaccine dose. If your child has any of these symptoms, make an appointment with the doctor. Almost all myocarditis cases are mild and resolve quickly when treated.

There have also been some allergic reactions to vaccines. This occurs in only two to five people per million vaccine doses. It is extremely rare. After getting a vaccine, we monitor your child in the clinic for 15 minutes to make sure they do not have a reaction.

No. Your body uses messenger RNA (mRNA) to provide instructions to your cells. The mRNA molecules tell your cells to make the spike protein that is present on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Your body recognizes it as a foreign protein and creates antibodies to fight the virus. Once the mRNA molecules deliver the message, they break down inside your body.

DNA is stored inside the nucleus of your body’s cells. This mRNA cannot get into the nucleus and can never interact with DNA.

It might be helpful to think of mRNA in another way:

Snapchat: mRNA is like a Snapchat message. It goes into your body, shows the message to your immune cells, then disappears. The immune cells now have the tools to make proteins and antibodies to fight the virus if they ever encounter it.
Email instructions: mRNA is like an email sent to your body’s immune system with instructions on how to make proteins that help you fight COVID-19. Once your cells “read” the instructions, your body deletes the email and starts making the proteins.

With kids back in school, they are in settings where they are more likely to be exposed to COVID-19. The delta variant spreads rapidly, and it’s more contagious and more likely to affect children.

The longer people wait to get vaccinated, the more opportunity the virus has to spread. Viruses that spread also tend to mutate and create new variants. Getting vaccinated is the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19.

If your child is not yet eligible for a COVID vaccine, there are steps you can take to keep them safe. Have your child:

Wear a mask whenever they are indoors or in crowded places.
Maintain social distance (approximately six feet apart), especially indoors.
Avoid indoor activities whenever possible, such as dining in restaurants, playing sports inside or going to indoor play areas.
Keep their hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth.
Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.

Be sure to keep your child home from school or activities if they have symptoms like cough, shortness of breath or fever. You should also have them tested for COVID-19.

Here’s a list of local testing sites

If you still have questions, talk to your pediatrician or doctor at Cook Children’s for more information about vaccine safety and benefits. When your child is eligible, we can provide vaccines to keep them as healthy as possible.

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children & Teens

COVID-19 vaccine approved for 6 months and up

Protecting our community

Helping your child prepare for a vaccination visit

Find a vaccine near you

Definitions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should my child get the COVID vaccine?

Understanding emergency use authorization (EUA) for vaccines

Vaccine concerns

Was the vaccine development rushed?

Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause infertility?

Is my child at risk for myocarditis or other heart problems?

Can the COVID-19 vaccine interfere with or change my child’s DNA?

I prefer to wait and see how other children are affected before vaccinating my child.

How to keep children safe before they can get vaccinated

Talk to your pediatrician or primary care doctor about COVID vaccines