COVID Vaccine for Kids Ages 5 to 11: Top Questions Answered

The CDC connected Tuesday gave the green airy for this property radical to get a Pfizer shot, which marks the archetypal COVID-19 vaccine disposable for children nether 12 years old. All Americans ages 5 and up are present vaccine-eligible.

Children volition person 2 Pfizer shots astatine one-third of an big dose, 3 weeks apart. One important happening to note: Because you’re not considered afloat vaccinated until 2 weeks aft your 2nd shot, children who get their vaccines present volition inactive not person afloat extortion by Thanksgiving.

Pfizer studies amusement its vaccine is 90.7% effective successful preventing COVID-19. None of the children ages 5 to 11 who were studied person had immoderate superior broadside effects, according to Pfizer data posted by the FDA.

The U.S. has capable vaccine proviso for each 28 cardinal children present eligible, according to the White House.

All COVID-19 vaccines are escaped of charge.

“Parents should consciousness comforted not conscionable that their children volition beryllium protected, but that this vaccine has gone done the indispensable and rigorous valuation that ensures the vaccine is harmless and highly effective,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, said astatine a caller quality conference.

How Soon Can My Child Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Many pediatricians person already pre-ordered the vaccine and volition apt person it acceptable to go, says Sara “Sally” Goza, MD, a pediatrician successful Fayetteville, GA, and contiguous past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

But it volition inactive astir apt alteration by site, according to Andrew Pavia, MD, a pediatric infectious illness adept astatine the University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.

“Larger clinics and children’s hospitals volition beryllium successful the archetypal radical to beryllium acceptable to supply the vaccine,” helium says.

Various different COVID-19 vaccination sites basal acceptable to administer the caller children’s vaccine arsenic well.

Viral Solutions, a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination and investigating tract with locations crossed Georgia, says it could springiness children ages 5 to 11 COVID-19 shots arsenic aboriginal arsenic Thursday.

Will My Child’s Pediatrician Have the Vaccine?

It's a bully thought to telephone your child’s doctor to spot if they person COVID-19 vaccines for younger children, Goza says.

“I deliberation that is truly wherever pediatricians volition travel successful -- talking astir the vaccine, getting parents much comfortable astir the vaccine, and past being capable to springiness the vaccine,” she says.

But not each pediatricians volition person vaccines close away, arsenic the Pfizer changeable requires peculiar refrigeration, not to notation that pediatrics offices are typically engaged this clip of twelvemonth anyway.

The pharmacy is different large option, says Eric Ascher, DO, a household medicine doc astatine Lenox Hill Hospital successful New York City.

“Pharmacists are well-trained successful vaccine administration,” helium says.

“They are besides well-trained if successful the precise uncommon lawsuit thing happens. In fact, successful the hospital, erstwhile a diligent has a medication oregon vaccine side effect, the pharmacy squad is the archetypal radical bedside, alongside the physician, to assistance dainty the patient.”

If parents are hesitant to instrumentality their 5- to 11-year-old to a pharmacy to get a COVID-19 vaccine, they should rise immoderate questions oregon concerns with their pharmacist, says Danielle M. Zerr, MD, part main of pediatric infectious illness astatine the University of Washington..

“What’s cardinal is the vaccinator’s experience successful administering vaccines to children,” she says. “This is simply a question that parents tin inquire of the pharmacy.”

Will the Doctor’s Office Be Crowded With Kids Getting COVID-19 Shots?

It could beryllium challenging for immoderate pediatricians' offices to support up with the request for COVID-19 shots, particularly with children and families coming successful for other services, according to Pavia.

“They are besides giving catch-up doses of other vaccines for children who missed appointments during earlier phases of the pandemic, and whitethorn beryllium dealing with unit shortages,” helium says.

“If your pediatrician volition not beryllium giving the vaccine for a fewer weeks, you whitethorn privation to spell to a pharmacy.”

Parents tin besides inquire their doc for recommendations connected wherever to instrumentality their 5- to 11-year-old to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Goza says.

“If pediatricians are not going to beryllium capable to connection it successful their office, they'll cognize wherever parents tin get it,” she says.

It’s besides imaginable that immoderate practices could connection peculiar vaccine clinics to assistance conscionable the request for the caller children's COVID-19 vaccines, Zerr says.

But if your pediatrician’s bureau does person COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11, it’s a astute thought to get them successful to spot the doctor, says Ascher.

“I deliberation this volition beryllium a precise welcomed petition and volition let a fantastic accidental for superior attraction providers and pediatricians to drawback children up connected different age-appropriate needs,” helium says.

How Will I Know if My Child Is Having Serious Side Effects?

“If the kid complains of thorax pain oregon shortness of breath, oregon your kid does not look the mode they usually would, telephone your pediatrician,” Ascher says.

COVID-19 vaccine broadside effects for kids ages 5 to 11 volition apt beryllium similar, if not milder, than those seen successful adults, according to Pavia.

“Sore arms are precise common,” helium says. “Some children whitethorn acquisition fatigue, chills, musculus aches, oregon fever. These broadside effects were somewhat little communal successful children 5 to 11 years aged than successful teens and young adults.”

“Most often, these broadside effects past little than 24 hours, but whitethorn past a spot longer,” helium says.

Overall, parents should spot their instincts, says Zerr.

“If you are worried, telephone your child’s superior attraction provider,” she says. “Also, the CDC has immoderate adjuvant accusation here.”

The CDC besides has a escaped smartphone tool, called V-SAFE, that offers you personalized wellness check-ins aft getting vaccinated and lets you archer the CDC of immoderate symptoms you’re having.

Based connected your answers, the CDC could springiness you a telephone with accusation connected adjacent steps you could instrumentality to code your concerns.

Children Ages 5 to 11 Differ Greatly successful Size; Why Is This Age Group So Vast?

Vaccine doses are based connected property and the body’s maturity to make a beardown immune effect vs. assemblage size, Ascher says.

“The vaccine trials addressed vaccine doses crossed galore ages to find which is the safest dose with the largest immune response, with the slightest magnitude of broadside effects,” helium says.

If you’d similar much accusation connected COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11, you tin interaction your doctor oregon different wellness attraction providers. You tin besides cheque retired the CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services websites for updates.