CDC recommends COVID vaccine for kids age 5 to 11: What to know

A meeting of scientists and doctors who advise the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted Tuesday to recommend Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. Only a few hours later, the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, officially accepted the guidance and opened the door for millions of children to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. 

The US Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 last week. 

The White House shared its plan last week to get kids under 12 vaccinated against the coronavirus, saying it “will be ready to begin getting shots in arms in the days following a final CDC recommendation.” White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said at a press briefing this week that the program to get kids under 12 the vaccine will be running the week of Nov. 8. 

Children remain at low risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death compared with the adult population. (Of states that reported data to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 0.1% to 2% of COVID-19 cases in children resulted in hospitalization.) But children can experience complications from COVID-19, including long COVID and multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Kids ages 5 to 11 are also at least as likely to be infected with COVID-19 as adults are, according to data shared at a meeting of FDA advisers prior to the authorization. 

There are also racial disparities in how sick children get from COVID-19. Children ages 5 to 11 who are Black, Native American or Hispanic are three times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than white children, according to the presentation. Of children ages 5 to 11 hospitalized with COVID-19, about one in three will require an ICU admission.

The CDC and FDA’s decisions came after a rigorous discussion among its advisors on the safety and potential benefits and risks of vaccinating children with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, one-third the dose of Pfizer’s vaccine given to everyone else and given with two shots three weeks apart, was found to be both safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 (90.7%). No serious side effects have been detected in the 3,100 children ages 5 through 11 who received the vaccine as part of an ongoing study. 

While we wait for final recommendations for younger kids, here’s what we know about COVID-19 vaccines for kids. 

When will kids be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Now that both the FDA and CDC have signed off on COVID-19 shots for kids ages 5 to 11, children in that age group can get vaccinated. However, given that Pfizer’s vaccine for younger kids is a slightly different formula than the vaccine for adults, it may take a few days for doctors’ offices and clinics to have the vaccine in stock. Jeff Zients said the vaccine program for kids ages 5 to 11 will be “fully up and running” the week of Nov. 8. 

Kids ages 12 and up have been able to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for a while. The other mRNA vaccine, Moderna, and the only single-dose vaccine on the US market, Johnson & Johnson, aren’t available for kids yet.

Do I need to give consent in order for my young child to get vaccinated? 

Yes, parents generally need to consent to their children receiving medical care, which will include Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. This is especially true for younger children. 

However, if you have a teenager or child old enough to express a desire to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but their desire is different than yours, they may have legal precedent to seek one out, depending on which state you live in. 

In Tennessee, the rights of minors versus their parents when it comes to vaccine decisions came under the spotlight last summer when the state’s vaccine director, Michelle Fiscus, was allegedly fired, in part, for sending out a memo explaining Tennessee’s “mature minor doctrine,” which is the state’s writing on how minors may seek medical care without the consent of their parents in some cases. 

If my child is immunocompromised or has a health condition, can they get a booster? 

If your child is at least 12 years old, “moderately or severely” immunocompromised and vaccinated with Pfizer, according to the CDC, they should get a third dose of Pfizer. Moderna is only authorized for people aged 18 and older. Examples of people who are immunocompromised include people receiving treatment for cancers in the blood or tumors, organ transplant recipients, stem cell transplant recipients, people with untreated or advanced HIV infection and people taking drugs that could suppress the immune response, per the CDC. 

The boosters currently available to some Americans who received Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson only apply to adults age 18 or older. No minor is eligible for a booster. Additionally, a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine isn’t authorized or recommended for immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11. 

Does Pfizer’s full FDA approval extend to kids?

The FDA’s approval of the vaccine by Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, only applies to people as young as 16 years old. While Pfizer remains the only vaccine authorized for use in kids as young as 5 years old, vaccinating that age group is still under emergency use authorization rather than total approval. This is because, along with other factors, full FDA approval requires data on how the vaccine fares six months out, per NPR. Pfizer’s vaccine was only authorized for kids aged 12 to 15 in May. 

This means that a vaccine mandate that hinges on full approval of a coronavirus vaccine, such as the one announced for school kids in California, won’t apply to kids younger than 16 for a while.

My child has allergies. Can they get the vaccine?

“If the child has a history of anaphylaxis or other severe allergies, then the observation time after the injection may be 30 minutes instead of 15,” Dr. Anne Liu, an infectious disease specialist with Stanford Hospital and Clinics and the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, said in August. So you might be asked to stick around the waiting room with your child for an extra 15 minutes so health care providers can monitor vaccine recipients for the (extremely rare) allergic reaction that can occur after any vaccination. 

Additionally, Liu said, children who are prescribed an EpiPen for any reason should bring it to their vaccine appointment. 

If your child has a severe allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine available to them, they shouldn’t take it, according to the World Health Organization. Adults allergic to any ingredient a COVID-19 also shouldn’t take that vaccine. 

Can my child get the COVID-19 shot at the same time as other vaccines?

Yes, according to the CDC, your child may get other vaccines when they go in for their coronavirus shot without waiting 14 days between appointments.

Should I worry about myocarditis? 

Myocarditis and pericarditis, or inflammation in the heart, is a rare side effect linked to Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, mostly in adolescent males and young adults. After looking at data and weighing the risks and benefits, the CDC still recommends everyone, including children as young as 12, get vaccinated. According to a Washington Post report, the CDC and FDA are looking into Canadian data that suggests Moderna might carry a higher risk of myocarditis than Pfizer, mainly in young people. 

When cases of myocarditis have occurred, Liu said, the cases have typically responded to treatment and resolved themselves, even when patients were hospitalized for a day or two. 

“COVID-19 infection can have much more serious consequences for the heart than the vaccine,” Liu said.

The government in Singapore, where 82% of the population is fully vaccinated, recommends that people, especially adolescents and young men, refrain from strenuous exercise for a week after their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends speaking to a doctor about when to return to sports or exercise following a diagnosis of myocarditis.

If I’m pregnant or breastfeeding, can I get vaccinated?

Yes, according to the CDC, because pregnant people are at much higher risk of severe COVID-19 and complications, including death, than people who aren’t pregnant. 

Preliminary data shared by the CDC showed there was no increased risk of miscarriage among those who got an mRNA vaccine before the 20th week of pregnancy compared with those who didn’t. 

My child can’t be vaccinated yet. What should we do? 

When spending time with other families with children, it’s best if everyone continues to wear a mask, according to Harvard Health, and they should isolate themselves if there’s a COVID-19 exposure. Additionally, choosing more outdoor activities and avoiding crowds, even when outdoors, can help protect your kids. Parents and older siblings who are vaccinated should also mask up to prevent breakthrough infections that can spread to vulnerable people who aren’t as protected, including kids. 

The CDC has prioritized in-person learning for students this fall, and it has guidance on prevention strategies schools should use to keep students and staff safe. 

Correction, Oct. 25: A previous version of this story included a sentence implying incorrect information about available vaccines for children age 12 and older. Only Pfizer’s vaccine is currently available to kids ages 12 to 17.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.