COVID-19 Vaccination for Children

CDC recommends that all children age 6 months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19, and those age 5 years and older get a booster dose at least 5 months after the completion of their primary series.

The following vaccines are recommended for children who are NOT moderately or severely immunocompromised:

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

• Children age 6 months-4 years should receive a 3-dose primary series, with the first two doses 3-8 weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least 8 weeks later (3 shots total)
• Children and adolescents age 5-17 years should receive a 2-dose primary series, spaced 3-8 weeks apart, followed by a booster dose at least 5 months later (3 shots total)

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

• Children age 6 months-17 years should receive a 2-dose primary series, spaced 4-8 weeks apart (2 shots total)

The following vaccines are recommended for children who are ARE moderately or severely immunocompromised:

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

• Children age 6 months-4 years should receive a 3-dose primary series, with the first two doses 3 weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least 8 weeks later (3 shots total)
• Children and adolescents age 5-11 years should receive a 3-dose primary series, with the first two doses 3 weeks apart and the third dose at least 4 weeks later, followed by a booster dose at least 3 months later (4 shots total)
• Adolescents age 12-17 years should receive a 3-dose primary series, with the first two doses 3 weeks apart, the third dose at least 4 weeks later, followed by the first booster dose at least 3 months later and a second booster at least 4 months later (5 shots total)

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

• Children age 6 months-17 years should receive a 3-dose primary series, with the first two doses 4 weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least 4 weeks later (3 shots total)

View additional guidance from CDC on dosing and administration details

Although COVID-19 tends to be milder in children compared with adults, it can make some children very sick. In some cases, complications from COVID-19 can lead to hospitalization or even death. Since the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 has been the fifth leading cause of death for children age 6 months-4 years in the US, and among this age group there have been:

• More than 2 million cases of COVID-19
• More than 20,000 hospitalizations
• More than 200 deaths

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect children from getting COVID-19, and from getting seriously ill even if they do get COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination for younger children is a critical opportunity to prevent severe illness, especially among those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including those from certain racial and ethnic groups and children with underlying medical conditions, disabilities, or special healthcare needs.

COVID-19 can lead to both short- and long-term complications for children. Children who get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can also develop serious complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a condition where different body parts become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.

Yes. Before authorizing and approving COVID-19 vaccines for children, experts reviewed safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials with thousands of children. As with all vaccines, there will be ongoing safety monitoring among those who are vaccinated.

Side effects may include a sore arm, pain, swelling or redness at the injection site, fever, fatigue, or other symptoms. These symptoms are normal, should be expected, and are a sign that the body is building immunity. These side effects usually go away in a few days.

Yes, CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination regardless of whether or not an individual was previously infected. Vaccination induces a much higher antibody response than natural infection and immunity from the virus decreases over time.

Parents can schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments at doctors’ offices, children’s hospitals, state and local health departments, and pharmacies. Visit vaccines.gov to check for vaccine availability near you.