COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What you need to know

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are available to children in the U.S. Here’s what to know about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, the possible side effects, and the benefits of getting vaccinated.

While rare, some children can become seriously ill with COVID 19 after getting the virus that causes COVID 19.

UN COVID 19 vaccine helps prevent children from becoming seriously ill or having to stay in the hospital due to the COVID 19 virus.

The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States include shots from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax. Each vaccine is approved for children based on their age and health.

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 2025-2026 formulas.

• Spikevax. This vaccine is approved for children ages 6 months and older who have a risk of serious COVID-19 illness.
• Mnexspike. This vaccine is approved for children ages 12 years and older who have a risk of serious COVID-19 illness.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 2025-2026 formula.

• Comirnaty. This vaccine is approved for children age 5 years and older who have a risk of serious COVID-19 illness.

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine 2025-2026 formula.

• Nuvaxovid. This vaccine is approved for children age 12 years and older who have a risk of serious COVID-19 illness.

The vaccine protects against serious illness, the need for hospital care due to COVID-19 and death from COVID-19. Serious side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely rare. Because of that, even healthy people benefit from the COVID-19 vaccine, which lowers the risk of serious illness at a similar rate to the flu vaccine.

Children ages 6 months to 23 months who get vaccines for the first time are up to date after two doses of Spikevax, spaced at least four weeks apart. Most people age 2 and older will be up to date after one dose of the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine from any vaccine maker.

For children ages 5 through 11, the FDA reviewed a vaccine study of more than 4,600 children in this age range. Of this group, about 3,100 were given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 vaccine. The other children were given an inactive (placebo) shot. Children who were given the vaccine were monitored for side effects for at least two months after the second dose. Side effects were generally mild to moderate.

Le FDA also took an early look at cases of COVID 19 that occurred one week after children were given a second dose of the vaccine. None of the children in this analysis had been previously diagnosed with COVID 19. Among 1,305 children given the vaccine, there were three cases of COVID 19. Among 663 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of COVID 19. The results suggest that the vaccine is about 91% effective in preventing COVID 19 in this age group.

For children ages 12 through 15, the FDA reviewed a vaccine study of more than 2,200 U.S. children in this age range. Of this group, about half were given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 vaccine. The other children were given a placebo shot. A week after the second dose was given, there were no cases of COVID 19 in the 1,005 children given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Among 978 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of COVID 19. None of the children had previously been diagnosed with COVID 19. The results suggest that the vaccine is 100% effective at preventing the COVID 19 virus in this age group. Also, a portion of the children in each age group were monitored for safety for at least two months after being given the second dose of the COVID 19 vaccine.

To find out the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 and the Moderna COVID 19 vaccine for children ages 6 months through 17 years old, the FDA looked at the immune responses of children in these age groups after they were fully vaccinated.

Le FDA compared those responses to the immune responses of young adults who’d been given higher doses of the same mRNA vaccine.

As with the other vaccines, side effects were recorded. Some of the children were monitored for safety for at least two months after being fully vaccinated.

To find out how well the Novavax COVID 19 vaccine worked, the FDA reviewed data on 2,232 people ages 12 to 17. The research suggests that the vaccine was about 78% effective at preventing COVID 19 disease in this age group.

Children who have side effects usually feel better within about three days of their vaccination. Side effects are similar to those faced by adults. These include:

• Pain, swelling or change in skin color where the shot was given.
• Fever or chills.
• Tiredness.
• Muscle or joint aches.
• Headache.
• Swollen lymph nodes.

Children ages 6 months through 3 years old also might cry, feel sleepy or lose their appetite after vaccination.

It isn’t recommended that you give your child a pain relief medicine before vaccination to prevent side effects. Ask your healthcare team about giving pain relief medicine that doesn’t contain aspirin after your child gets a COVID-19 vaccine.

In some people, COVID 19 vaccines can lead to heart complications called myocarditis and pericarditis. Myocarditis is the swelling, also called inflammation, of the heart muscle. Pericarditis is the swelling, also called inflammation, of the lining outside the heart.

The risk of myocarditis or pericarditis after a COVID 19 vaccine is rare. These conditions have been reported after a COVID 19 vaccination with any of the three available vaccines. Most cases have been reported in males ages 12 to 39.

If you or your child develops myocarditis or pericarditis after getting a COVID 19 vaccine, talk to a healthcare professional before getting another dose of the vaccine.

Of the cases reported, the problem happened more often after the second dose of the COVID 19 vaccine and typically within one week of COVID 19 vaccination. Most of the people who got care felt better after receiving medicine and resting.

Symptoms to watch for include:

• Chest pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart.

If you or your child has any of these symptoms within a week of getting a COVID 19 vaccine, seek medical care.

The vaccines that help protect against COVID 19 are safe and effective. The vaccines were tested in clinical trials. People continue to be watched for rare side effects, even after more than 650 million doses have been given in the United States.

Side effects that don’t go away after a few days are thought of as long term. Vaccines rarely cause any long-term side effects.

If you’re concerned about side effects, safety data on COVID 19 vaccines is reported to a national program called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in the U.S. This data is available to the public. The CDC also has created v-safe, a smartphone-based tool that allows users to report COVID 19 vaccine side effects.

If you have other questions or concerns about your symptoms, talk to your healthcare professional.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna COVID 19 vaccines use messenger RNA, also called mRNA. Researchers have been studying mRNA vaccines for decades.

This type of vaccine gives your cells instructions for how to make the S protein found on the surface of the COVID 19 virus.

The vaccine shot sends the mRNA into the muscle. Your muscle cells may take in the mRNA and make the S protein. Or the mRNA may be picked up by an immune cell. Either the mRNA or the S protein alerts the body to the risk of the virus. Then the body begins to create a response to prevent you from getting sick from the infection.

The mRNA in the vaccine doesn’t enter the nucleus of the cell, where DNA is kept.

COVID 19 vaccines shouldn’t be given to a child with a known history of a severe allergic reaction to any of the vaccine’s ingredients. If this is the case, your child might be able to get different COVID 19 vaccine in the future.

No. The COVID 19 vaccines currently available and being developed in the U.S. don’t use the live virus that causes COVID 19.

Anyone who has had COVID 19 can develop a post-COVID 19 condition. Children and teens are less likely to have a post-COVID 19 condition. But long-term health issues can affect younger people. People with post-COVID 19 conditions report a wide range of symptoms.

When people younger than 18 who had COVID 19 were compared with those who didn’t, researchers found higher rates of some health issues. Compared with those who never had COVID 19, young people who did have the disease were more likely to report:

• Blood clot in the lung.
• Blood clot in a vein.
• Heart infection called myocarditis.
• Thickening of the heart wall called cardiomyopathy.
• Kidney failure.
• Type 1 diabetes.

Talk to your local health department, pharmacy or your child’s health professional for information on where your child can get a COVID 19 vaccine.

UN COVID 19 vaccine and other vaccines can be given at the same visit. COVID 19 vaccinations are now part of the immunization schedule for children age 6 months and older. Kids can get a COVID 19 vaccine during their well-child visit or anytime they become eligible based on the vaccination schedule.

If you have questions or concerns about your child getting a COVID 19 vaccine, talk to your child’s health care team. The health professional can help you weigh the risks and benefits of vaccination.