Kids and the COVID-19 Vaccine

We recommend the COVID-19 Vaccine for children ages 5 to 11

On November 2, 2021, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use for children ages 5-11. It is a 2-dose series taken three weeks apart. Each dose will be 1/3 the dosage of the adolescent/adult vaccine.
The vaccine for children ages 5-11 years is effective:

• 90-100% effective in clinical trials
• There were no severe cases of COVID-19 in clinical trials
• The vaccine works against Delta and other known variants of concern

IHA Pediatrics has been vaccinating children ages 12 and up since May of 2021, and we have confidence that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for our patients. As of October 2021, more than 11.1 million adolescents have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Vaccine appointments available for children

IHA Pediatrics is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to current patients ages 5 to 11.
Appointment availability is limited. Our teams are working diligently to increase the number of appointments available for children at IHA Pediatrics practice locations. Thank you for your patience. If you have trouble finding an appointment, we encourage you to search vaccines.gov and enter your zip code to easily find locations in your community where vaccines are available.
Don't Forget the Flu Vaccine! It is more important than ever to stay healthy and protect yourself against preventable illnesses. It is safe to receive the flu vaccine at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.

Top questions parents ask about the COVID-19 vaccine for children

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster & Third Dose - What you need to know

For booster and third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, you do not need to go back to the same IHA location where you received your first 2 doses. Appointment availability is limited. If you are having trouble finding an appointment, visit the CDC Vaccine Finder website:
Find your next dose at Vaccines.gov

There are questions about the need for additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Read below to learn more about the difference between a booster shot and a third dose and the eligibility for each.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster - Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson

A COVID-19 booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine given after the protection provided by the initial dose naturally begins to decrease over time. The booster is designed to help people maintain their level of immunity for longer.

Booster Eligibility

The CDC recommends a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine for those who are:

• Aged 18 years and older and residents of long-term care facilities
• All persons aged 50 years and older

Additionally, those that may receive a booster at this time include:

• All persons aged 18-49 years

 

Any person who fits the above criteria and received Pfizer or Moderna for their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine should wait to receive a booster of any brand until at least 6 months after they have completed their initial vaccine series (6 months after their second dose). A person who fits the above criteria and received Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) single-dose COVID-19 vaccine should wait to receive a booster of any brand until at least 2 months after their single dose.

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Third Dose - Pfizer & Moderna

IHA is now offering third doses of COVID-19 vaccine to individuals who received either the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Moderna vaccines and have a qualifying medical condition, based on FDA and CDC guidance.

Third Dose Eligibility

Based on CDC recommendations, third vaccine doses are available now for people who are considered moderately or severely immunosuppressed and those:

 

• Aged 12 years and older who received the Pfizer vaccine
• Aged 18 years and older who received the Moderna vaccine

 

Any person who fits the above criteria can receive a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine as soon as 28 days after their second dose. If you are not sure whether you fit into any of these categories, please contact your medical provider.