Coronavirus (COVID-19): Questions & Answers About Vaccines

Q. Should kids get a COVID-19 vaccine?

A. Yes, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for adults and all children ages 6 months and older. Booster shots are recommended for everyone ages 5 and older.

Vaccinated people can get infected with the virus or even get mild symptoms. This is called a "breakthrough infection." But the vaccine is very good at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.

Q. Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for kids?

A. So far, all studies done in kids show that COVID-19 vaccines are very safe. A vaccine goes through intensive testing before people can get it. Millions of U.S. kids are fully vaccinated already, with no serious safety concerns identified.

Q. How many doses of vaccine do kids need?

A. The number of doses a child will get depends on their age and health status, and whether they get the vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech or the vaccine made by Moderna. These vaccines differ in dosage and number of shots, but both are safe and effective, and are equally recommended. Kids 12 and up can also get the Novavax vaccine. Talk to your child’s doctor if you have questions about the different vaccines and how many doses your child needs.

Q. What side effects can COVID-19 vaccines cause?

A. Like many vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines can cause mild side effects, like a sore arm, body aches, headache, a fever, or tiredness for a day or two. These are signs that the immune system is responding to the vaccine and building immunity to the virus. They're not a cause for concern.

Q. Could a person get COVID-19 from a COVID-19 vaccine?

A. No, people can't get COVID-19 from a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines contain a piece of genetic material from the coronavirus, and not the whole virus. So people who get a vaccine can't develop COVID-19 from it.

Q. Can a woman get a COVID-19 vaccine if she is pregnant or breastfeeding?

A. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can and should get a COVID-19 vaccine. It is now known that the vaccine is safe for them. On the other hand, getting sick with COVID-19 is not safe. Pregnant women who get COVID-19 are at higher risk for severe illness than women who aren't pregnant. So experts recommend that fully vaccinated pregnant women also get a booster dose of the vaccine.

Q. Is it safe for someone to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they've already had COVID-19?

A. Yes, a person can and should get a vaccine even if they have had COVID-19. There are no known risks to getting the vaccine after being infected with coronavirus. Because we don't know how long a person's immunity will last after they get infected, it's important to get the vaccine too. Talk to your child’s doctor about the best timing for vaccination after infection.

Q. Can kids get the COVID vaccine at the same time as their annual immunizations?

A. Yes. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports kids getting routine immunizations at the same time they get a COVID-19 vaccine. This is especially important if kids missed getting some vaccines during the pandemic.