COVID: How to Prepare for Your Child’s COVID Vaccination

Abstract

COVID-19 virus is still spreading. That's why getting the vaccine is the best thing to do for your child's health. It also helps make sure that your kids can keep attending school and other activities that are so important for their physical and mental health.The COVID-19 vaccine is available to kids 5 years old and up. The COVID shot for children 5 years to 11 years old is a lower dose than the dose recommended for people 12 years and older. The only COVID-19 vaccine presently available for children older than 5 years in the U.S. is the Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccine.It's time for eligible children to get the COVID vaccine, get protected and protect the health of their families and friends!The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all eligible children and adults 5 years and older should get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they can. Your child is considered up to date if they have received all recommended doses for their age.Encourage your child to keep doing their part to protect others by wearing a face mask and following other steps to keep people with a high risk of infection safe. Then they can get back to activities they enjoy like sports, choir, plays and parties with some added confidence that they are protected!American Academy of Pediatricswww.aap.org and www.HealthyChildren.orgAdapted from the HealthyChildren.org article COVID Vaccine Checklist for Kids Age 5-11 (1/7/2022).The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.In all aspects of its publishing program (writing, review, and production), the AAP is committed to promoting principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.