Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccinations for kids

By

We’re all ready to move on and resume real life again. The COVID-19 pandemic completely turned our worlds upside down in early 2020, and it’s been a roller-coaster ride ever since.

The good news? Vaccines have arrived — and extremely effective ones at that. While adults are eagerly rolling up their sleeves, it may be a bit longer until children can officially join the ranks of the vaccinated. Feeling eager? Nervous? Reticent? It’s okay; it’s normal to experience all the emotions after such a turbulent 12-plus months. The best thing you can do right now while you wait is educate yourself and stay on top of the latest guidelines. Here is what you need to know about vaccinating your kids.

vaccine
LookerStudio/Shutterstock

When will your kids be vaccinated for COVID-19?

There are three vaccines widely available in the United States right now: A two-dose vaccine from Pfizer, a two-dose vaccine from Moderna, and a one-shot dose from Johnson & Johnson/Janssen.

Recommended Videos

As of April 19 this year, all people ages 16 and up are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination — so some teenagers can get shots in their arms ASAP. This will be incredibly useful in stopping the spread among college-age students and older adolescents.

Related

Those under 16 will have to hang tight a little longer, though. Pfizer recently announced results of a trial among children 12 to 15; its vaccine was found to boast 100-percent efficacy among that age group. Moderna is expected to yield similar results, and both companies should be seeking Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA soon. All three pharmaceutical companies are currently or plan to soon be studying their respective vaccines in younger kids (6 months-plus).

While there’s no definitive timeline, many in the research and medical field believe that 12- to 15-year-olds will likely be able to get the vaccine before the 2021/2022 school year kicks off. Children under 12 will probably have access toward the end of 2021 or at the beginning of 2022.

mom putting mask on child
FamVeld/Shutterstock

What can you do to protect your children?

Of course, waiting is frustrating — especially if you are now vaccinated and ready to make plans, mingle, and join civilization again. The happy news is that you mostly can. We all still need to take some proactive precautionary steps to help protect the unvaccinated public — and it’s a small price to pay for the greater good. Here’s what you should continue doing:

  • Continue wearing well-fitting masks in public settings: When in public, keep those trusty masks covering your mouth and nose — and those of your children ages 2 and older. You want to find masks that have two or three breathable layers and fit snugly without gapping.
  • Socially distance: Even with masks, you and your kids should still try to maintain social distance (6 feet) from people who live outside of your household and are unvaccinated. This is especially important when indoors in public settings.
  • Encourage frequent hand washing: While transmission via surfaces has been shown to be rare, it’s still smart (and helpful) to continue encouraging proper hand hygiene. Make sure your kids are washing their hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water before eating, after playing outside, etc.
  • Avoid mass events: At this point, even fully vaccinated individuals are advised to avoid congregating at large-style events.

The guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to evolve as the situation develops. With more and more people vaccinated, there is some initial loosening of rules that will affect your family and your not-yet-vaccinated children.

The CDC has advised that fully vaccinated people can spend time indoors together without masks. Of course, until your children are vaccinated, this scenario might be a bit tricky. Fortunately, the agency has also stated that it’s okay for fully vaccinated people from one household to mingle with another single household of nonvaccinated, low-risk individuals. This means that if your kids don’t have any preexisting conditions that make them vulnerable, you can feel pretty good allowing a vaccinated extended family member or friend into your home.

COVID-19 vaccinations for kids are not available yet (unless your child is 16), but they will be fairly soon. In the meantime, we all need to continue doing our part to keep our children healthy and our communities safe. We’re at the home stretch — we’ve got this!

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Lauren Barth
Lauren Barth
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Lauren Barth is a freelance writer and digital editor with over a decade of experience creating lifestyle, parenting, travel…
Baby refusing solid foods? Here’s why, and what you can do about it
Understanding your baby's resistance to solid foods
Woman feeding baby in a high chair

Introducing solid foods to your baby is an exciting time. It's a milestone that may go smoothly for some, but not quite as simple for others. If your little one wants nothing to do with these new foods, you may desperately be looking for answers as to why they're refusing solid food options.
We know that sourpuss not-having-it face all too well. And if that mini-me of yours wants nothing to do with the spoon, the bib, or the puree in front of them, a power struggle will ensue -- and, spoiler alert: You are not going to win. Nevertheless, it can be distressing for parents when their little bottle-chugging sweetheart goes on a solids strike (or incessantly spits, gags, and cries!). Fortunately, it's usually not a cause for concern: there could be several factors at play to cause the issue of baby refusing solid foods. Here are a few common reasons why your baby might be rejecting your feeding attempts -- and some gentle ways to coax them to eat a bit more.

Baby is just not ready yet

Read more
Authoritative parenting: What you need to know
Is authoritative parenting the right style for your family?
Teenage girl fighting with parents

While everything may look like sunshine and rainbows when families post happy pictures on social media, parents know that image isn't always true life. Parenting is probably the most difficult and often thankless job you will ever have. It is the most important, though. If you're on TikTok, you've probably seen videos touting different parenting styles, like almond moms or scrunchy moms, as well as elephant parents. All the discussion about parenting styles can make new and veteran moms and dads wonder what the ideal approach to raising kids is.

In the 1960s, three main parenting types were identified and studied by developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind. These parenting styles included authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. The 1980s brought uninvolved parenting into the mix. This style was introduced by psychologists Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin. Authoritative parenting is often confused with authoritarian, but the two are actually different. The authoritative parenting style finds a constructive medium between authoritarian and permissive parents. This balance is why many parenting experts feel it's the ideal way to raise confident and well-adjusted kiddos. So, what exactly is authoritative parenting, and is it the right style for your family?
Four main parenting styles

Read more
Do pregnancy tests expire? What you should know
Find out if you should use one past the expiration date
Woman excited at pregnancy test

From over-the-counter medicines to things in your fridge, we worry about the expiration dates of items that go into our bodies. Some things you could get away with trying past the expiration date, but with others, you don't want to compromise on the quality. One of those items you don't want to play around with is a pregnancy test. Whether you want a positive or a negative result, you don't want that to fail you. Do pregnancy tests expire? Can you use a pregnancy past the expiration date? Here's what to know about how good the pregnancy test you have in the cabinet is.
When a pregnancy test expires

Have you noticed one on your bottled water? Everything has an expiration date. Yes, even a pregnancy test has an expiration date. Most pregnancy tests will last one to three years after the manufacturing date, some two to three years. That is a huge spread, sure, and an expired pregnancy test isn't something you want to hope is still good. To keep it safe, don't buy any tests that are a few months away from the expiration date. You can't take a test until you are a week late (with most), so there has to be some wriggle room.
Digital vs. non-digital tests
Are digital and non-digital tests the same when it comes to the expiration date? Yes. They both have a shelf life of the same time frame. There might be a difference in how you read the various tests, but both non-digital and digital pregnancy tests have expiration dates. Look at the bottom of the box and on the individual package to find it.
Get the most out of your pregnancy test

Read more