CDC OKs Vaccinations for Children 6 Months to 5 Years

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last month approved COVID-19 vaccinations for children 6 months to 5 years, finding them safe and effective.

An independent panel of advisers to the CDC recommended vaccinating all children in the age group with one of two separate COVID vaccines manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.

The CDC’s new recommendation not only expands eligibility to a younger population but also reinforces the importance of staying up to date on COVID vaccinations, including boosters, especially for those who are most vulnerable, according to Lee Health infectious disease specialist Dr. Stephanie Stovall, Chief Clinical Officer of Quality/Safety and Hospital-Based Care.

“All children, including children who have already had COVID, should get vaccinated,” Dr. Stovall says. “COVID vaccines have undergone—and will continue to undergo—the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.”

Has your child or teen already had COVID? They should still get vaccinated.

Emerging evidence indicates that people can get added protection by getting vaccinated after being infected with the virus that causes COVID. Even if a child has had the virus, they should still get vaccinated, Dr. Stovall says.

“For children who have been infected with COVID, their next dose can be delayed three months from when their symptoms started,” Dr. Stovall explains. “If your child didn’t show symptoms, their next dose can also be delayed three months after receiving a positive test. These delays can happen with a primary dose or a booster dose.”

The school year is coming up. Can my child get the COVID vaccine and other vaccines during the same doctor visit?

Children and teens may get a COVID vaccine and other vaccines, including a flu vaccine, at the same time, Dr. Stovall says.

You can help monitor the safety of COVID vaccines. Here’s how.

Parents and caregivers can help monitor the safety of COVID vaccines by signing up for v-safe, an after-vaccination health checker. The smartphone-based tool uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after a person receives a COVID vaccination.

You can enroll in v-safe after any dose of the COVID vaccine.

Find out when you can get your COVID vaccine booster.

Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID. They are recommended for most people. To find out when or if you or your child can get one or more COVID boosters, visit the CDC’s site.

Schedule a vaccine appointment (ages 18+).

Where can I get my child vaccinated?

COVID-19 UPDATE: JULY, 7 2022:

Beginning July 7, Lee Health will be scheduling appointments for parents who want to vaccinate their 6-month to 5-year-old children for COVID-19. The vaccine will be available at LPG Pediatrics locations and the Pediatric Infectious Disease office at HealthPark Medical Center for established Lee Health patients. Parents can make an appointment through MyChart or by calling the office directly.