Build Confidence for Children and Teens
Parents (or caregivers) may be reluctant to have their child or adolescent get vaccinated against COVID-19, even if they chose to get vaccinated themselves. Chief among parents’ concerns is a sense that there is not enough information about the vaccine for children or that more research needs to be done. Many parents also cite concerns about vaccine side effects and potential long-term effects.
Key Points
- COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool to help protect children and teens, especially from severe disease, hospitalization, or death.
- Half of children younger than 18 years of age hospitalized with COVID-19 have no underlying medical conditions.
- COVID-19 vaccination reduces the likelihood of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
- COVID-19 vaccination provides added protection for children and teens who previously were infected with SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., by further reducing the risk of reinfection).
- The rare risk of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines—mostly among male persons between the ages of 12 and 39 years—may be further reduced with a longer time between the first and second dose. COVID-19 illness is a bigger risk factor for myocarditis for children and teens younger than 16 years of age than vaccination is.
Information for Pharmacy Teams
Watch APhA’s
Back to School: Not Just Shoes, Vaccination Too! CPE webinar to learn from experts in the field as they review guidelines specific to pediatric vaccination, current COVID-19 vaccines, and other vaccine recommendations as well as discuss ways to improve vaccine confidence in parents.
Watch APhA’s CPE webinar on
COVID-19 Pediatric Immunization to learn from experts in the field about pediatric COVID-19 illness, the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children, and how to address concerns from parents about vaccines.
Watch APhA’s CPE webinar on
COVID-19 Vaccinations in Adolescents to learn about the use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for individuals ages 12 through 18 years, including safety and efficacy.
Participate in
APhA’s Trigger Tape Training, which reviews key points to communicate with patients by providing patient scenarios and the recommended response to each one.
Information for Patients
Connect your patients to
Vaccine Answers With a Personal Touch for science-based answers to their COVID questions 24/7. This trusted AI guide will engage visitors in a one-on-one conversation about their concerns.