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COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What you need to know

Content What COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for kids? How did the FDA determine the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in kids ages 12 through 15? What are the side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12 through 15? Can COVID-19 vaccines affect the heart? Is there any research on the long-term effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine? If children don't frequently experience severe illness with COVID-19, why do they need a COVID-19 vaccine? How does the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine work? Is there any difference in the ingredients or dosing of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people age 16 and older and for children ages 12 through 15? Are there any children who shouldn't get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine? Can a COVID-19 vaccine give a child COVID-19? Can a COVID-19 vaccine affect fertility or menstruation? How can children ages 12 through 15 get a COVID-19 vaccine? How soon can a child get a COVID-19 vaccine before or after getting another vaccine? What can my child do after getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

Is there any research on the long-term effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

Because COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials only started in the summer of 2020, it's not yet clear if the vaccines will have long-term effects. However, vaccines rarely cause long-term effects.

A portion of the children ages 12 through 15 enrolled in the ongoing Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine study were monitored for safety for at least two months after being given the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As part of its first request for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine in 2020, Pfizer Inc. created a safety monitoring plan. The plan now includes the monitoring of adolescents given the COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition, in the U.S. all vaccination providers are required to report serious adverse events, such as allergic reactions, to a national program called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

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