6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children
Information for parents and caregivers of children ages 6 months and older
For the best protection, CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older.
1. COVID-19 vaccination for children is safe.
Ongoing safety monitoring after the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval shows that COVID-19 vaccination continues to be safe for children. While adverse reactions are rare, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known risks of COVID-19 and possible severe complications.
Learn more about the safety of COVID-19 vaccination for children.
Tips for Parents and Caregivers:
- Before vaccination, tell the vaccine provider about any allergies your child may have—just like what you would do when your child receives their routine vaccines.
- Requesting accommodations at COVID-19 vaccination sites: When making an appointment or arriving for vaccination, you can let staff and/or volunteers know your child might need some accommodations. By law, children with disabilities are also allowed to have a service animal accompany them. Learn more about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children and Teens with Disabilities.
![Smiling boy holding his dog](/vaccines/covid-19/images/planning/boy-holding-dog.jpg?_=82541)
- COVID-19 Vaccination for Children and Teens with Disabilities
- COVID-19 Vaccine Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL)
- Call 888-677-1199 Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org to help:
- Find local vaccination locations
- Make appointments
- Connect to local services such as accessible transportation
2. Getting vaccinated helps protect children against COVID-19.
Vaccinating children can:
- Prevent children from getting seriously sick if they do get COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination continues to protect children against severe disease and hospitalization. Children with underlying medical conditions are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. However, children without underlying medical conditions can also experience severe illness.
- Give parents or caregivers greater confidence for children to participate in childcare and school and in sports, playdates, extracurricular activities, and other group activities.
![Five children wearing masks sitting around a table](/vaccines/covid-19/images/planning/10-Things-to-Know_AboutPeds-COVID-19-Vaccines-02.png?_=84951)
3. Children may have some side effects after COVID-19 vaccination.
Reported side effects are mild, temporary and like those experienced after routine vaccines. Some children have no side effects.
Learn more about potential side effects in children after COVID-19 vaccination.
4. Children receive a smaller dose of COVID-19 vaccine than teens and adults.
COVID-19 vaccine dosage is based on age on the day of vaccination, not on a child’s size or weight. This is also true for other routinely recommended vaccines, like hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines.
![Doctor talking to girl in a wheelchair](/vaccines/covid-19/images/planning/10-Things-to-Know_AboutPeds-COVID-19-Vaccines-04.png?_=84956)
Tips for Parents and Caregivers:
- Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine dosage for children.
5. Children who have already had COVID-19 should still get vaccinated.
Evidence indicates that people can get added protection by getting vaccinated after they have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. For children who have been infected, their next dose can be delayed 3 months from when symptoms started or, if they did not have symptoms, when they received a positive test.
If your child tests positive for COVID-19 after getting a shot, they should wait until their isolation period has ended before getting their next dose.
6. Children can safely receive other vaccines the same day they receive their COVID-19 vaccine.
Routine vaccination is an important preventive care service that should not be delayed.
If your child receives multiple vaccines in a single visit, each injection will be given in a different injection site, according to recommendations by age.
![Mother and child talking with doctor](/vaccines/covid-19/images/planning/10-Things-to-Know_AboutPeds-COVID-19-Vaccines-05.png?_=84958)
- Most people can get no-cost updated COVID-19 vaccines through their private health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid plans.
- Adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all vaccine costs can get no-cost updated COVID-19 vaccine at healthcare providers, HRSA-supported centers, and select pharmacy locations participating in CDC’s Bridge Access Program.
- CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children through health care providers enrolled in the program.
- Contact your state, territorial, local, or tribal health department for more information.
- Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you that may be offering vaccines for children.