Why should my child get vaccinated?
COVID-19 can sicken people of all ages. There’s no way to predict how your child might be affected by COVID.

Among children under age 18 in the United States who’ve gotten COVID-19:

Tens of thousands have been hospitalized and hundreds have died.

Even if your child doesn’t get very sick, a COVID-19 infection could still cause health problems down the road.

The vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.

How do we know the vaccines are safe for kids?
The COVID-19 vaccine for children has been through rigorous testing and thorough review by the FDA and CDC.

Thousands of children participated in the clinical trials. Among those who received the vaccine, it was shown to be safe and effective at preventing COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines are the most closely monitored vaccines in U.S. history. And the FDA and CDC will continue to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, including among children.

How do the vaccines work?
The active ingredient is a molecule that leads your body to briefly make a protein (called the spike protein) normally found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccine helps your body recognize that protein and creates a strong immune response against the spike protein.

After vaccination, your body breaks down the vaccine components and gets rid of them within about 36 hours.

After vaccination, because the immune system has protection built up against the spike protein, the body is ready to fight off the virus that causes COVID-19.

Will I or my child get myocarditis or pericarditis from receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine?

Myocarditis and pericarditis are two kinds of heart inflammation that can cause symptoms like chest pain, a fast or hard heartbeat, and shortness of breath.

These kinds of heart inflammation after vaccination are extremely rare.

When they happen, they mostly happen in male adolescents and young adults, typically within several days after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

Patients usually recover quickly and respond well to medications and rest.

You’re actually more likely to get heart inflammation if you’re unvaccinated and get sick with COVID-19. And heart inflammation from COVID-19 tends to be worse than the heart inflammation people have had after vaccination.

How many vaccine doses does my child need?
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires 2 initial doses, given 21 days apart.

Everyone 12 or older should get a booster shot 5 months after your 2nd dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to keep up your protection against COVID-19.

What are the common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines?
Children who’ve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine have the same common side effects as adults.

Common side effects include:

Pain, redness, or swelling where you got your shot
Tiredness, Headache, Muscle pain, Chills, Fever, and Nausea

These side effects are normal and typically last for a couple of days after vaccination.

They are signs that the vaccine is working and that your child’s body is building protection against the virus.

If my child has had COVID, do they need to get vaccinated?

Yes. You should get your child vaccinated against COVID-19 even if they’ve already had COVID-19.

Having had COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily protect someone against getting infected again.

In fact, a recent study found that unvaccinated individuals are more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who had COVID-19 and then got vaccinated.

How can I prepare my child for their COVID-19 vaccine shots?
Getting a shot can be scary for kids. Here are some tips to comfort your child before, during, and after their shot.