Covid Vaccine for your children

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are now available to children in the U.S. Here’s what parents and kids need to know about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, the possible side effects, and the benefits of getting vaccinated.

For kids ages 5 through 11, the FDA reviewed a vaccine study of more than 4,600 children in this age range. Of this group, about 3,100 were given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The other children were given an inactive shot, also called a placebo. Children who were given the vaccine were monitored for side effects for at least 2 months after the second dose. Side effects were generally mild to moderate.

The FDA also took an early look at cases of COVID-19 that occurred one week after children were given a second dose of the vaccine. None of the children in this analysis had been previously diagnosed with COVID-19. Among 1,305 children given the vaccine, there were 3 cases of COVID-19. Among 663 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of COVID-19. The results suggest that the vaccine is about 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 in this age group.

For kids ages 12 through 15, the FDA reviewed a vaccine study of more than 2,200 U.S. children in this age range. Of this group, about half were given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The other children were given a placebo shot.

A week after the second dose was given, there were no cases of COVID-19 in the 1,005 children given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Among 978 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of COVID-19. None of the children had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19. The results suggest that the vaccine is 100% effective at preventing COVID-19 in this age group.

Side effects

Children given COVID-19 vaccines have side effects similar to those experienced by adults. The most commonly reported side effects include:

· Pain, redness, or swelling where the shot was given

· Fatigue

· Headache

· Chills

· Muscle pain

· Fever

· Joint pain

· Swollen lymph nodes

· Nausea and vomiting

· Feeling unwell 

Babies ages 6 months through 3 years old also might cry, feel sleepy or lose their appetite after vaccination.

Similar to adults, children have side effects within 2 days after vaccination that typically last 1 to 3 days. More children reported these side effects, except for injection site pain, after the second dose of the vaccine. However, some people have no side effects.

Because COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials only started in the summer of 2020, it’s not yet clear if the vaccines will have long-term effects. However, vaccines rarely cause long-term effects.

A portion of the children in each age group were monitored for safety for at least two months after being fully vaccinated.

In addition, in the U.S., all vaccination providers are required to report serious adverse events, such as allergic reactions, to a national program called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA, also called mRNA. Researchers have been studying mRNA vaccines for decades.

Coronaviruses have a spikelike structure on their surface called an S protein. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give cells instructions for how to make a harmless piece of an S protein. After vaccination, muscle cells begin making the S protein pieces and displaying them on cell surfaces. The immune system recognizes the protein and begins building an immune response and making antibodies. After delivering instructions, the mRNA is immediately broken down. It never enters the nucleus of the cell, where DNA is kept.

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