Advice on updated COVID vaccination for kids

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the latest COVID-19 booster vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for everyone six months and older. The latest booster should provide good protection against the currently circulating COVID-19 variants that are slowly increasing cases seen throughout the nation as we enter the fall and winter months.

Vaccination for all ages continues to be the best way to protect your entire family against severe disease, including possible hospitalization and long COVID illness.

As with the initial vaccines and boosters offered over the past two years, many families have been waiting for this booster, seeing it as an important move with children back in school and cases slowly climbing. But some may yet be hesitant. And I know how they feel. As the mother of two young ones, one under 5 years, I'm faced with the same decision — one I'll be making as a medical professional and a mom.

Below are some common questions we're receiving from parents about this latest booster approval.

• Is this new COVID-19 booster safe for my younger kids?

As with the previous vaccines before them, these new boosters underwent rigorous clinical trials to ensure safety, particularly for our youngest patients. And, as with previous doses, they are being monitored for safety with the most comprehensive and intense safety monitoring program in U.S. history. Both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective for all ages.

• Do the benefits of the booster outweigh the possible risks?

This is one of the most common questions from parents. According to the latest research, more than half of children hospitalized for COVID-19 don't have another health issue. Behind adults 75 years and older, infants less than 6 months old had the highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalization. Severe illness is lowest among children ages 5 to 17 years. For children, hospitalization rates were lower or comparable to that of the flu. Once hospitalized, however, more kids received care on intensive care units (ICUs) for COVID-19 than for flu.

• Are there side effects to the boosters for younger children?

There are possible side effects, just as with adults, but the benefits certainly outweigh any potential risks across all age groups. Reported side effects were similar to previous doses, including soreness at the injection site, chills, fever and headache. Fever is often the most concerning for parents of little ones; however, it's a normal reaction and shows the vaccine is working with the child's immune system. And with over-the-counter medications, it can be managed fairly easily.

• Should my child get this latest COVID-19 booster? What if they've already had COVID-19?

I recommend getting your child this latest booster, even if they've previously had COVID-19. This significantly lowers the risk of infection or reinfection and helps protect them against the latest virus variants. And remember, vaccination protects more than your child. It protects other people's children and other family members. Keeping up-to-date on the latest boosters remains the single best way to end the spread of the virus.

• Will the COVID-19 vaccine cause future infertility?

According to studies, the COVID-19 vaccines will not affect your child's future fertility. If you still have questions or concerns, talk about it with your child's primary care provider.

• Should any younger children not get this COVID-19 booster?

If your child has a history of a severe allergic reaction to any of the vaccine's ingredients, speak with their pediatrician first. But such allergies are very rare, given the make up of these mRNA vaccines.

• Is there any difference between the children's and adult boosters?

The booster vaccine for children under 5 continues to be a lower dose than the adult version and is administered with a smaller needle. The vaccine's ingredients, however, are the same.

• Can my child get COVID-19 from the new booster?

The vaccines and boosters don't expose children to the virus. They continue to use messenger RNA (mRNA) to teach the child's immune system to recognize and fight the actual virus.

Again, keeping up-to-date on the latest vaccine boosters is the best way to keep your children and family as safe as possible, helping to protect everyone from developing serious illness. With each person receiving the latest booster, we all get one step closer to a world without COVID-19.

• Childrens health is a continuing series. Dr. Dana Vais is a mother of two and the medical director for infectious disease for Ascension Illinois.