On Tuesday, November 2nd, children aged 5-11 were finally approved to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by the FDA and CDC. While everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated, some families are reluctant to get them for their children because of the potential risks they hold.

Although children are less likely to get infected with COVID-19, they can still spread the disease to others around them.

Children with underlying medical conditions have a higher risk of contracting severe illness from getting the vaccine than those who don’t have those conditions. Kids who are given their COVID-19 vaccines are able to receive their flu shots as well.

Just like adults, children must receive their vaccine doses three weeks apart and are not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after. According to the CDC, children will be given ⅓ of the dose that adults and adolescents receive, and administered with a smaller needle. To distinguish between the two, the childrens’ vaccine is denoted with an orange cap, whereas those aged 12 and older receive one with a purple cap. The vaccine has been proved 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in kids between the ages of 5 and 11.

Although some families have hesitated to get their children vaccinated, it has been shown that out of 3,100 children who were vaccinated, none reported any serious side effects. Parents are encouraged to get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Cockwood agrees. “As a mother and a physician, I know that parents, caregivers, school staff, and children have been waiting for today’s authorization. Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy.”

For more information about the new variation of the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the FDA’s official website.