Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Covid vaccines for kids under 5 are nearly here. Here’s what you need to know.

Covid vaccines for kids under 5 are nearly here. Here’s what you need to know.

Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines will soon be available for all kids older than 6 months.

The Food and Drug Administration has newly approved two covid-19 vaccines for young children, and approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to follow in the coming days. But we already know that parents have lots of questions about these new vaccines. Some surveys indicate that just 1 in 5 parents of kids under 5 are going to vaccinate their children right away. Others plan to wait and see. But one of the reasons the FDA approved the vaccines unanimously is that they are considered safe and effective at reducing risks — not just for kids, but for everyone kids interact with — from covid-19 and its variants.

We asked Public Health Reporter Jonathan Lambert about the latest news on the covid vaccines now available for children and the questions many parents have about them.

Grid: When and where is a covid-19 vaccine available for my child?


Jonathan Lambert: Right now, kids over 5 years old are eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Kids over 12 get the same dosage as adults, and 5- to 11-year-olds get slightly less vaccine. Kids can get them from their local health providers, pharmacies and covid vaccination sites, depending on the state. Boosters are recommended for this age group too, but not until five months after the initial vaccination.

Kids under 5 are not currently eligible for vaccines, but the FDA recently authorized both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for kids as young as 6 months old. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still must sign off, which experts expect will happen, and shots could be available for youngsters as soon as Monday. The administration says it’s made 10 million kid-sized doses available for distribution once the vaccines get the final thumbs-up.

G: Why should kids and teens get vaccinated if illness tends to be less severe?


JL: It’s true that children have lower risk of serious illness and death from covid, but it’s still a dangerous disease and is deadlier than the flu. So far, 481 kids under 4 have died from covid, along with 366 5- to 11-year-olds, 382 12- to 15-year-olds and 310 16- to 17-year-olds, according to CDC data. More than 130,000 children have been hospitalized.

Vaccination also reduces the chance that kids will spread the virus to others and lessens risk of other complications, including a serious inflammatory condition and long covid.

G: Is the covid-19 vaccine free for children and teenagers in the U.S.?


JL: Yes, anyone currently eligible for a covid vaccine can get one free of charge, including children and teenagers.

G: What are the common side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna covid-19 vaccine on children?


JL: Both vaccines are safe for kids, and side effects tended to be like what some adults experience after covid vaccines. Pain and swelling at the injection site are commonly reported, along with irritability, fatigue, decreased appetite, fever, headache and chills. These tend to resolve quickly, and Pfizer-BioNTech’s lower dose regime was associated with fewer side effects than Moderna’s.

Very rarely, cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, or inflammation of the heart, have been reported after covid vaccination for younger males (12 to 29 years old). But research has shown that people are about 17 times more likely to get myocarditis from the virus itself, making vaccination the better option.

G: Can children still get covid-19 even after they are vaccinated?


JL: Yes. The vaccines significantly reduce the chance of getting infected and sick, but they’re not perfect, especially against new omicron variants. For example, one study found that during the omicron surge, protection against infection from two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech fell from 66 percent to 51 percent, and protection against hospitalization dropped from 100 percent to 48 percent for 12- to 17-year-olds.

Moderna’s newly approved vaccine was 50 percent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in kids 6 to 23 months old, and about 37 percent effective for kids 2 to 5.

G: Should you get the covid-19 vaccine if you already had covid-19 and recovered?


JL: Yes. Getting vaccinated will lessen a kid’s chance of getting covid again and will train their immune system to better recognize SARS-CoV-2, which increases the odds that the body will fight off the virus more quickly, and with fewer symptoms, than if they weren’t vaccinated.

G: Which covid-19 vaccine should your child get?


JL: Whichever vaccine is available. Right now, there’s not enough real-world data to make direct comparisons of the two vaccines’ effectiveness in reducing infection or serious illness.

G: Does the covid-19 vaccine reduce the risk of getting “long covid” for children?


JL: The short answer is likely yes, but scientists are still working out by how much. In adults it may occur in as many as 1 in 5 cases. A recent study suggests as many as 25 percent of children and adolescents experience symptoms for longer than 1 month, including mood disturbances, fatigue and sleep disruption.

Long covid is a big umbrella term that could encompass anything from still experiencing slight shortness of breath months after the initial infection to debilitating fatigue, brain fog and exercise intolerance. That vagueness makes pinning down how much protection vaccines provide difficult, and estimates range widely. On the low end, a recent large study of veterans found that risk of exhibiting any symptom six months after infection was cut by only 15 percent by vaccination. Other studies have found higher numbers, often centering around 50 percent.

Of course, catching SARS-CoV-2 in the first place is a prerequisite for developing long covid, and getting vaccinated does reduce risk of infection.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×