Details:

Alternative Title:
This is Their Shot
Corporate Authors:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Description:
Interpretive Summary for November 5, 2021

This is Their Shot

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)external icon authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 years. CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 get a COVID-19 vaccine. There are approximately 28 million children in this age group in the United States, with nearly 2 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. While fewer COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been reported in children compared with adults, children can be hospitalized or die from the virus.

Vaccinating children ages 5 through 11 is critical to preventing infections and possible severe disease. The COVID-19 vaccines being used in the United States are safe and effective. They have undergone – and will continue to undergo – the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children is different than the vaccine that is given to adolescents and adults.* Children ages 5 through 11 will still require two doses three weeks apart to be considered fully vaccinated. Children may have some side effects from COVID-19 vaccination, which are normal signs that their body is building protection.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is over 90% effective at preventing COVID-19 in children ages 5 to 11 years. Getting your child vaccinated can help protect them against COVID-19, as well as reduce disruptions to in-person learning and activities by helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Vaccines can also help keep your child from getting seriously sick even if they do get COVID-19. If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines in children, talk with your child’s pediatrician or healthcare provider.

*Children 5 through 11 years old will receive a separate vaccine formulation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine that has one-third the dose given to adolescents and adults, and they will receive the vaccine with a smaller needle.

Note to readers: Starting the week of November 8th, vaccines will be available at pediatricians’ offices, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and more. To find vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov; text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX); or call 1-800-232-0233.


Subjects:
[+]
Child Coronavirus Infections/prevention & Control COVID-19 Vaccines COVID-19/prevention & Control Vaccination
Series:
COVID data tracker weekly review : interpretative summary for November 5, 2021
Document Type:
Webpage
Collection(s):
Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:103a5bbbf41f383fb9e3723188eeab836362010f60934dfd1a98ddc351d539d8
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/111363/cdc_111363_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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