Written by: Haley Herfurth
Media contact: Adam Pope
On June 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the recommendation that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This expands eligibility for vaccination to nearly 20 million additional children and means that all Americans age 6 months and older are now eligible for vaccination.
David Kimberlin, M.D., co-director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children’s of Alabama, provides information on COVID vaccinations for children age 5 and younger, such as timing a COVID vaccination with other childhood vaccinations, how soon a child can be vaccinated following an infection with COVID-19, dosage requirements, the negative impact of the virus on children and more in these YouTube videos — perfect for sharing on social.
Vaccines are the best way to protect a child from COVID
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC and other organizations that focus on the health of children all have recommended vaccinations for children age 6 months and older, Kimberlin says.
“That is the best way to protect a child from the potential really bad effects of COVID,” he explained.
Talk to your pediatrician about getting your child vaccinated
Pediatricians and family practice doctors can provide the best advice for families wanting to vaccinate their child against COVID-19, according to Kimberlin.
“We only have 30-40% of children vaccinated that are 5 and over in our region of the country, so we have work to do,” Kimberlin said.
Everyone eligible to receive a booster should get one
If you or your child or adolescent is eligible to receive a booster, they should get one, Kimberlin recommends — and that includes a second booster for eligible populations.
“To get to the booster, you’ve got to have the primary series, and that’s where I want parents of young children to focus right now,” he continued.
You don’t have to wait to be vaccinated after having COVID
Full protection is better conferred by vaccine-induced immunity than it is by infection-induced immunity, Kimberlin says. And if your child has had COVID, like 75% of children in the country, combining that immunity with vaccination will protect them even further.
“You’ll have done everything you can to keep your child safe,” he explained.
Vaccine dosage is tailored to children
Doses of the COVID vaccine are different for the youngest children as compared to older kids and adolescents, Kimberlin explains.
“Young children are not little adults, and therefore they require a different amount of the vaccine,” he said.