COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months and older

Definition

COVID-19 vaccines are used to prepare the body's immune system to protect against COVID-19.

Alternative Names

Vaccines for COVID-19 - children and teens; COVID-19 vaccinations for children and teens; COVID-19 shots for children and teens; Vaccinations for COVID-19 - children and teens; COVID-19 immunizations for children and teens; COVID-19 prevention - vaccines for children and teens; mRNA vaccine for children and teens - COVID-19

Information

COVID-19 vaccines protect people from getting COVID-19. These vaccines teach your child's body how to defend against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

WHY CHILDREN AND TEENS SHOULD GET VACCINATED

It's true that most children and teens are at lower risk from becoming very sick from COVID-19. But low risk does not mean no risk. Children and teens can:

  • Become infected with COVID-19
  • Become seriously ill from COVID-19 and need to be hospitalized
  • Have serious short- and long-term effects or complications from COVID-19
  • Die from COVID-19, although this is very rare
  • Spread COVID-19 to others, including those at risk for serious illness, such as grandparents

Children with underlying medical conditions are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. For these children, vaccination is very important to help protect against the virus.

There are many good reasons to have your child or teen get a COVID-19 vaccination:

  • It will protect your child from serious illness if they do get COVID-19.
  • It will protect other people in the family at risk for serious illness from COVID-19.
  • It is a safer way to build protection than getting COVID-19.

ABOUT COVID-19 mRNA VACCINES FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

The mRNA vaccines approved in the United States work differently from many other vaccines. 

  • COVID-19 mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) to tell cells in the body how to briefly create a harmless piece of spike protein that is unique to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Cells then get rid of the mRNA.
  • This spike protein triggers an immune response inside the body, making antibodies that protect against COVID-19. Your child's immune system then learns to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus if they are ever exposed to it.

The COVID-19 vaccine given to children and teens has the same active ingredients as the vaccine given to adults. The dosage is based on the child's age on the day of vaccination. It is not based on the child's size or weight.

There are 3 mRNA COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for use in the United States. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for use in people ages 5 years and older. There are 2 Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, one for people ages 6 months and older and another for people 12 years and older.

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is given as an injection (shot) in the arm. The 2025-2026 mRNA vaccines protect against the current strains of the COVID-19 virus.

SUBUNIT VACCINE

The Novavax vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine. The vaccine includes harmless pieces of the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccine triggers the body to develop antibodies to protect children from the virus. The 2025-2026 Novavax vaccine also protects against current strains of the COVID-19 virus. It is approved for use in people age 12 years and older.

VACCINATION SCHEDULE

Your child's vaccination schedule is based on their:

  • Age
  • Vaccination history
  • Whether they are moderately or severely immunocompromised
  • Whether they have recently had COVID-19 (within 3 months)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people of all ages consult their health care provider to decide if getting a COVID-19 vaccine is best for them. The provider may be a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. This process is called shared decision-making.

Most health experts recommend:

  • Everyone ages 6 months and older should get 1 dose of the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine.
  • People with at least one underlying health condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 should get 1 dose of the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a list of health conditions and COVID-19 risk factors that increase the risk for severe disease.

Some children may need additional doses of the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine:

  • Those who have never had a COVID-19 vaccine in the past
  • Those who are severely immunocompromised

Talk with your child's provider about whether your child may need additional doses. 

VACCINE MYTHS

COVID-19 vaccines:

  • Do not contain any live virus, and they cannot give children COVID-19
  • Do not affect or interfere with children's genes (DNA)
  • Do not affect or interfere with fertility or future fertility in children

VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS

While COVID-19 vaccines will not make children sick from COVID-19, they may cause certain side effects and flu-like symptoms. This is normal. These symptoms are a sign that your child's body is making antibodies against the virus. Common side effects include:

  • Pain, redness, or swelling on the arm (or leg up to age 3) where they got the shot
  • Tiredness
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Some side effects from the shot may affect your child's ability to do daily activities, but any side effects will go away in a few days. Even if your child has side effects, they should get the second shot if needed. Any side effects from the vaccine are far less dangerous than the potential for serious illness or death from COVID-19.

HOW TO GET THE VACCINE

There are several ways to find vaccination providers near you.

  • Ask your child's provider if they offer COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens.
  • Check your local pharmacy's website or call them to see if they offer vaccines for children and teens.
  • Contact your state or local health department to find additional vaccination locations in the area.
  • Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC's) Vaccines for Children (VFC) program that provides no-cost vaccines to American Indian, Alaska Native, Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, and underinsured children.

Learn what to expect when your child gets a COVID-19 vaccine.

VACCINE SAFETY

The safety of vaccines is the top priority, and COVID-19 vaccines for children have passed rigorous safety standards before approval. They continue to be closely monitored to ensure they are safe and effective.

Serious health events from COVID-19 vaccines, such as an allergic reaction, are rare.

Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) have been reported in children and teens ages 5 years and older after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

  • This reaction has occurred more often in male adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 39 years. However, it also has occurred in females, in other age groups, after other doses, and after receiving any type of vaccine.
  • It occurs more often after getting a second dose, usually within 7 days after vaccination. Studies show that this rare risk may be reduced by waiting 8 weeks between the first and second dose.
  • With proper care and rest, most people who had the reaction got better quickly without any lasting effects.
  • For people who had this rare reaction, it is important to talk with a cardiologist (heart doctor) about how and when to return to exercise and sports.

Symptoms of myocarditis and pericarditis include:

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fast-beating heart, fluttering, or pounding heart

If your child or teenager has any of these symptoms, get medical help right away.

References

American Academy of Family Physicians website. COVID-19. www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/public-health-emergencies/recent-outbreaks/covid-19.html. Accessed October 23, 2025.

The American Academy of Pediatrics website. The American Academy of Pediatrics' Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. publications.aap.org/redbook/resources/15585/AAP-Immunization-Schedule. Updated September 17, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. COVID-19: benefits of getting vaccinated. www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/benefits.html. Updated June 11, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Vaccine safety: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine safety. www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/covid-19.html. Updated January 31, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025 Aug 19. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40826495. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40826495/.

Prasad V, Makary MA. An Evidence-Based Approach to Covid-19 Vaccination. N Engl J Med. 2025 Jun 26;392(24):2484-2486. Epub 2025 May 20. PMID: 40392534. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40392534/.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. COMIRNATY. www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/comirnaty. Updated September 25, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. MNEXSPIKE. www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/mnexspike. Updated September 25, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. NUVAXOVID.www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/nuvaxovid. Updated September 25, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. SPIKEVAX. www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/spikevax. Updated September 25, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACIP Recommends COVID-19 Immunization Based on Individual Decision-making. www.hhs.gov/press-room/acip-recommends-covid19-vaccination-individual-decision-making.html. Updated September 19, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025.

Review Date: 1/1/2025
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Editorial update 10/23/2025.

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