COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months to 5 years have been authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, and the Nevada State Immunization Program. It is recommended that all children 6 months and older get a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. If you have questions or concerns talk to your child’s doctor.

Who is now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine?

• Every child aged 6 months or older

Which vaccine should young children get?

There are two options for children,
Pfizer or Moderna: Pfizer vaccine authorization:

• Children 6 months – 4 years, 3-dose series, 2nd dose given 3 weeks after 1st, 3rd dose given 2 months+ after 2nd.
• Children 5 years, a 2-dose series spaced 3 weeks apart. Booster dose 5+ months after 2nd shot.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Authorization

• Children 6 months – 5 years, 2-dose series, with two doses spaced four weeks apart. The dosage is one-quarter of the adult dosage.

What size is the dose?

• Pfizer dose for 6 months – 4 years is 3 mcg, 1/10 adult dose
• Pfizer dose for 5-year-olds is 10mcg, 1/3 adult dose
• Moderna dose for 6 months — 5 years is 25 mcg, ¼ adult dose

Where can I get my young child a vaccine?
For young children’s COVID vaccines, there are several options. Specify your child’s age when calling due to differing dose sizes:

• Pediatrician/family doctor
• Local health district:
  • Washoe County: (775) 328-2402, washoecounty.us/health/
  • Carson City: (775) 887-2195, gethealthycarsoncity.org/immunizations/
  • Douglas County: (775) 782-9038, douglascountynv.gov/340/Community-Health-Nurse
  • Clark County: (702) 759-0850, snhd.org/immunizations
  • Community Health Nurses: tinyurl.com/chnNevada
• Local FQHC (search “Federally Qualified Health Center” on the web)
• For children 3 years+, an Immunize Nevada clinic: nvcovidfighter.org/event-list

Are the vaccines safe for young children?
Yes. These vaccines were developed to prevent severe disease and death in young children and clinical trials indicate they achieve that. In rigorous trials (Moderna, 6,300 kids; Pfizer, 1,400 children), serious adverse reactions to the vaccines were rare (some instances of high fever, see below for side effects).

What are the side effects?
In clinical trials, side effects included: pain at injection site, fever (in rare cases a high fever), fatigue and headache, irritability, and sleepiness.

Why should young children get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Medical and public health experts, including the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that all children 6 months and older get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect them from becoming severely ill or having long-lasting health impacts and from spreading the disease. COVID-19 in a top 10 causes of pediatric death, and tens of thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized with COVID-19.

Vaccine clinics for children 3 years+ available here. Questions? Call 1.800.401.0946, 8am - 8pm, seven days a week.
6/25/22