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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?

What COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for kids?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization for children ages 12 through 15. The FDA has also approved this vaccine, now called Comirnaty, to prevent COVID-19 in people age 16 and older.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine requires two injections given 21 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.

Research has shown that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children ages 12 through 15. The vaccine is 91% effective in preventing severe illness with COVID-19 in people age 16 and older. Early research also suggests that the vaccine is 96% effective at preventing severe disease with COVID-19 caused by the delta variant, the most common COVID-19 variant in the U.S right now.

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