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COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Under 5: Understanding the Shots

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Children under 5 years old will begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines today, following approval by the US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The shots are designed to provide young children with protection from hospitalization, death, and possible long-term complications. Dayton Children's Hospital will be administering the Pfizer vaccine to children as young as six months old.

Key Takeaways:

  • The shots offer young children protection from hospitalization, death, and possible long-term complications, according to the CDC's advisory panel.
  • The Moderna vaccine appears to be only about 40% effective at preventing milder infections in children under 5, while the Pfizer vaccine is expected to be around 80% effective based on limited data.
  • Children can get seriously sick from COVID-19, with some admitted to the ICU and others dying from the virus.
  • The CDC recommends that young children get vaccinated, and most shots will be administered at pediatricians' offices or hospitals like Dayton Children's.
  • There are two-shot and three-shot series available for children under 5, with the Pfizer vaccine using a three-shot series.
  • Common side effects of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines include pain, fever, irritability, and decreased appetite.
  • Children who have been previously infected with COVID-19 should still get vaccinated to lower the chances of reinfection.
  • Parents should consider immunizing their children now as cases may go up in the fall, with the maximum level of protection taking a few months to develop.

Statistics:

  • About three-quarters of children of all ages are estimated to have been infected with COVID-19 at some point.
  • The CDC has recommended vaccination for previously infected individuals to lower the chances of reinfection.
  • The Moderna vaccine is about 40% effective at preventing milder infections in children under 5.
  • The expected efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine is around 80%, but the data is limited and based on a small number of cases.
  • The first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are given three weeks apart, and the third dose is administered eight weeks after the second dose.

Sources:

  • The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Dayton Children's Hospital
  • Moderna Inc.
  • Pfizer Inc.
  • The Associated Press
  • Springfield News-Sun (https://www.springfieldnewssun.com)

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