The FDA granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11, and the Centers for Disease Control has recommended everyone in this age group and older get the vaccine to prevent them from getting seriously ill with COVID-19.
While most children do not get seriously ill from COVID, they can get sick and that can impact their ability to participate in school and sports.
In this video, Duke pediatrician Jennifer DeCoste-Lopez, MD, explains that the Pfizer vaccine will be given to this age group in two doses, three weeks apart. Your child will be fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the second dose.
She also explains how the vaccine works in simple terms. The vaccines do not stay in the body. Rather, they are like an instructor that teaches the body how to recognize a certain virus.
Hundreds of thousands of teens have gotten the vaccine with no problem. If you have questions, Dr. DeCoste-Lopez encourages you to talk to your doctor. Getting vaccinated is the best tool to help us get past this pandemic.