PHOENIX — The CDC currently recommends that children over 5 years old get vaccinated.
However, children under the age of 12 get a 1/3rd size dose of the vaccine. So if your child is about to turn 12, should he or she wait to get the shot?
THE QUESTION:
Viewer Candace Moore emailed 12 News asking:
“My son is going through puberty, and he will turn 12 years old in March. Should he wait until his birthday to get the adult covid vaccine dosage?”
THE SOURCES:
The Centers for Disease Control
Dr. Natasha Bhuyan with One Medical.
THE ANSWER:
“The answer is the child should be vaccinated as soon as possible and there is no reason to wait,” Dr. Bhuyan said.
Both Dr. Bhuyan and the CDC said the vaccine is based on the projected immune response. Children have a more robust immune system, so less vaccine is needed to get the same protection.
Bhuyan said getting the shot earlier not only provides the protection the vaccine provides earlier, but also may help the child avoid more side effects.
“With the lower dose of the 10 micrograms for children we do end up seeing fewer side effects for children,“ Dr. Bhuyan said.
So we can verify that even if your child is about to turn 12, don’t wait. Getting vaccinated now will get them protected earlier and may lead to fewer side effects.
In addition, the CDC says it is *not recommended to give pain relievers before the vaccination to prevent those side effects. If you have a question about what to do after, the CDC says you should talk to your child’s pediatrician.
“My basic take-home message to parents is to make sure you get your child vaccinated as soon as possible and get the appropriate dosing at that time," Dr. Bhuyan said.
COVID-19 Vaccine
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