Pediatric Vaccine Resources

Statistics

• Though COVID is normally less severe in children in comparison adults, hospitalizations of kids under age 5 were five times higher during the winter omicron surge compared to the peak during the previous delta wave.  

• Pfizer states its three-dose vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 years old was 80% effective at preventing illness from the omicron variant. The shots are three micrograms, one-tenth the dosage level for adults. 

• In studies, Moderna’s two-dose vaccine was about 51% effective against infection from omicron in children under 2 and about 37% effective among those 2 through 5. Moderna’s shots are 25 micrograms, compared to the 100 micrograms currently approved for adults.  

• COVID-19 is a leading cause of death  (PDF) among children (based on data from March 2020 to April 2022).

  • For those under 1, it’s the 4^th leading cause of death.

  • For those ages 1-4, it’s the 5^th leading cause of death.

General Information and Resources

• CDC release recommending that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

• HHS’s We Can Do This Site has compiled sample social media posts and also has an outreach guide .  

  • A social media post sample is here and there is a Spanish option as well.  

  • For talking points, you can pull from this document .   

• American Academy of Pediatrics also has a helpful toolkit .

• On June 27, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (ED) issued a Dear Colleague letter (PDF) to staff of early care and education (ECE) programs and schools containing three important requests to help encourage parents and guardians to learn about and access vaccines for all children older than 6 months of age.

• The Office of Head Start has a website dedicated to Vaccination for Head Start Children   In addition, there are other resources for Vaccinating the Head Start Community , which includes a video explaining vaccine development, testing and monitoring by Dr. Sean O'Leary, a pediatric infectious disease expert. 

• Our latest blog from Assistant Secretary Contreras brings attention to the fact that children missed routine shots during the pandemic and how important it to get families caught up on vaccines. 

For Parents and Caregivers 

• Overview 

  • 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children  

• Key Topics

  • Why Children Should Get Vaccinated

  • Vaccine Safety

  • Side Effects

  • Finding an Appointment and Preparing for Vaccination

  • Dose Timing

    • Pfizer : The first and second doses are separated by three to eight weeks and the second and third doses are separated by at least eight weeks.

    • Moderna : Doses are given 4-8 weeks apart.

  • Monitor symptoms after vaccinations using V-safe (Vaccination Health Checker)   

• FAQs

  • What is in the vaccine?

    • Ingredients in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines
  • CDC’s FAQ site

For ECE Programs, Community Partners, Jurisdictions, and Healthcare Providers

• Webinars

  • Webinar on Pediatric Vaccine Success Stories from the Field informing how best to communicate and increase vaccine confidence in parents. ACF co-hosted this webinar with National Community Action Partnership (NCAP), National Head Start Association (NHSA), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

  • Building a Village: Community-linkages for COVID-19 Vaccines and Beyond — Hosted by HRSA, this webinar is focused on building strong community connections and trusted messengers to make sure everyone is as protected as they can be. CDC opens with some helpful data and the Office of Head Start participated in this event.

• Overview on How Schools and Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs Can Support COVID-19 Vaccination  

  • Hosting a Vaccination Clinic : Best Practices for School Districts and Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs

  • Customizable Outreach Materials  for School and Childcare-Located Vaccination Clinics

• Main CDC Landing Page for jurisdictions, community partners, and vaccine providers.

  • Sample letters and posters can be found here.

• Quick Conversations Guide helps navigate answers to common questions parents and caregivers may have about the COVID-19 vaccine for children. Providers can use this guide to address concerns and help parents feel more confident about vaccinating their children.

• Vaccinating Children with Disabilities Against COVID-19 includes strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine accessibility for children with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

• Equity in Childhood COVID-19 Vaccination webpage highlights the work currently being done and resources to improve vaccine access and equity.

• Landing Page for Clinical and Professional Resources

• Talking points for pediatricians to discuss COVID-19 pediatric vaccine with parents

  • Additional communication templates here

• Letter template with placeholder language for pediatricians/family physicians to keep parents/guardians of patients informed about COVID-19 and vaccines.

• What to Consider  When Planning to Operate a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

• Data

  • CDC COVID Data Tracker