COVID-19 vaccine for children and adolescents

Children and adolescents over the age of 5 are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. As with adults, children should be vaccinated twice at least every 3 weeks to be considered fully vaccinated. Everyone under the age of 18 should be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

• People between the ages of 5 and 11 receive one-third the dose of adults.
• 12-17 years old receive the same dose as adults

Why do children need to be vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccination can:

• Help your child prevent infection with the COVID-19 virus.
• Make sure your child doesn’t get seriously ill, even if they get infected with COVID-19
• Keep your child in school and other activities and reduce childcare challenges.Fully vaccinated children do not need to be quarantined when exposed to people with COVID-19 unless they are symptomatic.
• Reduces the chances of spreading COVID-19 to others

Parents may have questions or mixed feelings

The decision to vaccinate your child can be stressful. It may be helpful to take the time to list your questions and consult with a trusted healthcare provider. We can help pediatricians, pharmacists, and school nurses answer your questions.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for children?

• Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has been rigorously tested and reviewed, with more than 11 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 years already vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine.
• In a study of about 3,000 children, the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infections aged 5-11 years.
• The vaccine and its safety for children have been reviewed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA continue to closely monitor vaccines and track reported side effects.

Side effects

Side effects after vaccination are the usual signs that the body is building protection. Common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include:

• Arm pain, red or swelling
• Tired
• headache
• muscle pain
• cold
• Fever, or
• nausea

If your child has chest pain, malaise, or difficulty breathing, contact your provider.

Among children aged 5 to 11 years, there were fewer side effects than in the older group.

Most side effects disappear after a few days. If they do not disappear, please contact your doctor. If you don’t have a doctor, call 211.

Tips on how to reduce the side effects of vaccines from the CDC

Myocarditis and other rare but serious complications

The risk of serious side effects after COVID-19 vaccination is very low.

Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) Although rare, it is a serious condition that affects some teens and young adults (1 in 50,000) after COVID-19 vaccination.

• Myocarditis is expected to be less common in infants after vaccination with COVID-19 due to the low dose of vaccine.
• The risk of developing myocarditis after COVID-19 infection is much higher than the risk of developing myocarditis after vaccination.

In rare cases, some people have had a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine. All of these people received immediate medical assistance. Like adults, children and adolescents are required to stay 15-30 minutes after being given a shot to monitor allergic reactions.

Where can my children be vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents are available in pharmacies, clinics, Multnomah County Student Health Center, And others Local vaccine clinic..

You can also check the following:

The COVID-19 vaccine is provided free of charge. No health insurance is required. If you have health insurance, the vaccine provider may charge your insurance company to vaccinate you or your child.

Parental or guardian consent

• 5-14 years old You must be accompanied by either a parent, a guardian, or a person designated by the parent / guardian throughout the vaccination process.
  • If someone other than the parent or guardian is accompanied by a child between the ages of 5 and 14, a proof of parental / guardian consent must be provided. Download the consent form.
• 15-17 years old In Oregon, you do not need to be accompanied and do not require parental consent. We encourage adolescents to involve parents or other trusted adults in health care. However, in Oregon over the age of 15, youth can decide for themselves whether to vaccinate.

Download the flyer

Adolescents and COVID-19 vaccine (252.33 KB)

Pediatric COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccine 5-11 (256.59 KB)

For more information