The US Food and Drug Administration approved the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster for children aged 6 months to 5 years old last week.
Since then, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the booster, and everyone 6 months and older can now receive the updated coronavirus vaccine, with the exception of children who received three doses produced by Pfizer/BioNTech.
Who Should Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Booster For Kids?
Federal health officials have already stated that children aged 6 months to 5 years who have gotten both doses of the original Moderna vaccine are eligible for the updated bivalent vaccine if the primary vaccine series has already been completed for at least two months.
The recommendation for children who received the Pfizer vaccine differs slightly because the primary series already includes three doses.
According to federal health officials, children aged 6 months to 4 years who have not yet completed their three vaccine doses can obtain the third dose as the bivalent vaccine.
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What Are The Side Effects For Children?
It’s assumed that children who get the updated booster will now have similar kinds of side effects to the original vaccines.
These side effects are typically mild and short-lived, usually disappearing within the first 24 hours of inoculation. Adverse reactions can include injection site pain and swelling, fatigue, crankiness, sleepiness, headache, muscle aches, and, in rare cases, fever.
Many children have no side effects. severe side effects, such as myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation), are expected to be very rare in this younger age group.
If parents or caregivers have any concerns, they should consult their pediatrician to determine the best course of action for their family’s specific situation. Finally, families with children who have yet to receive COVID-19 vaccines should consider doing so, especially if their children have never been exposed to COVID-19.
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